Ignis Aeterna
by Ethereal Winter
Summary: What if Kakashi had never taken Obito on that fateful mission? Uchiha Obito is a fish out of water in the arrogant Uchiha Clan. Given his skills,  or lack thereof,  he is further alienated by the clan. ObitoxOC
1. The Dance

**Chapter One: The Dance**

Uchiha Obito recalled the Third Great Shinobi World War as a turbulent time. Though he had his share of battles later in the border region, it was his greatest dismay that his teammate, Hatake Kakashi, continued his harassment.

It was during this war that he had finally been promoted to jounin, the prized pupil of Namikaze Minato. In his first mission as jounin to the war, he refused to bring Obito along due to his chronic tardiness. Obito and Kakashi had always been rivals, but the Uchiha never imagined that he would go so far to omit him from his first jounin mission.

It just so happened that Kakashi had already predicted Obito's tardiness and had replaced him with the just-available Maito Gai-the weird guy with the monstrous eyebrows. The young Uchiha was insulted, but as it _was_ Kakashi's first mission as leader, it was his call. Though the apologetic glances from his sensei eased his embarrassment, Obito could never forgive Kakashi for trading him-especially not for that weirdo! Minato-sensei was upset at Kakashi for replacing Obito, considering how hard Sandaime worked to balance the assigned teams.

When asked about his role in the war, Obito mentioned a few skirmishes he had dealt with along the border, but nothing major. Kakashi took full advantage of that, even bragging about his successful mission at the bridge. He described in the mission in dynamic detail, about how they had blown up the bridge, and how they had saved a kidnapped Rin from the Iwanin. Of course, Kakashi never mentioned how traumatizing it was for his teammate, or how she quit being a ninja.

His team still met at their favorite dango shop, but the signs of a village nearly torn by war were still obvious months after the war officially ended. Many of the buildings remained unfixed after the many small infiltrations. As a further, grim reminder, there were still small paper ribbons that listed a dead (white) or missing (red) loved one. The orphanage had quickly filled up, and it seemed more and more ninja committed suicide each day. The only thing that seemed to improve was the citizen's relative apathy. The village was united in reparations, at least.

At this time, Konoha was undergoing some changes-some good, others bad. One of them was the rise in the entertainment industry, or at least for one unofficial team. A lot of shinobi were indignant about the "frivolous" use of jutsu, but many, especially of the female gender, were absolutely enthralled. Minato invited his team to experience the dancing team's first official performance near the local ramen shop, Ichiraku Ramen.

Minato was familiar with all of them: There was the silver-haired, silver-tongued Kaji Tonbo, a complete lady's man who knew no shame; the brown-haired, hazel-eyed Fuyu Asuka, a gentle boy with a talent for music; and finally, Kosame Miyu, an auburn-haired, grey-eyed girl with a grace betraying her usual rowdiness. Around the village, they were informally known as the "dancing team." They were an odd crew, having formed after they all lost their teammates and sensei in the war.

Naturally, Obito was _not_ eager to waste a night watching people scramble about over a stage. Rin was taciturn and unemotional as usual since her return from the battlefield, and Kakashi had already decided he was not going to pay attention. Minato noticed their lack of enthusiasm and suggested they either pay close attention or pay the next day with the workout of their lives. With that, the boys focused their attention to the stage while Rin only straightened up a little.

"I want you all to watch the girl especially," Minato ordered with a smile. "She has a control of genjutsu like none I have ever seen. She surpasses her teammates easily in terms of skill." He was exaggerating a little, hoping to encourage a positive impression of the girl. Obito was hardly curious, but did wonder if it was possible for a girl to surpass her male teammates in strength. It was a random thought he quickly shook out of his head when Rin's eyes lit up.

"Which skills, sensei?" she asked quietly. Minato smiled; Rin had not spoken much, but whenever she did, he swore to promote it.

"Well, I have not seen any of her other skills recently, but she definitely surpasses them in genjutsu and chakra control." He tapped his chin thoughtfully, smiling. "Though I heard she challenges Maito Gai often, so maybe in strength as well?" Kakashi perked at this, though his eyes indicated a hint of disgust as he peered to the empty stage.

"Then you can't say she's any good. What's her name?"

"_Their_ names are Kaji Tonbo, Fuyu Asuka, and Kosame Miyu."

"I remember them from the academy," Kakashi muttered, sitting back in his seat. "Tonbo's loud and stupid, Asuka is quiet and stupid, and Miyu is the stupidest of them all." As it so happened, Obito happened to remember all of them as well. He grinned ear-to-ear as he leaned closer to his sensei.

"He's only saying that because Tonbo mocked him, Asuka surpassed him in ninjutsu, and Miyu activated a stink bomb at his desk." Luckily for the Uchiha, the show was about to begin, so Kakashi could not fulfill his fantasy of beheading the young chuunin.

First, Asuka came out and timidly addressed the small crowd, earning a few swoons from his admirers as he admitted he was nervous. Tonbo burst out from behind the curtains to smooth-talk the crowd with a, "To all of the lovely ladies: I'm still single." Obito suddenly remembered that this boy made him queasy. He always came into the classroom with a rose for every girl. He seethed a bit as he remembered an instance in which he handed Rin a dozen roses.

"Ehm, anyway," Asuka chuckled, slouching bashfully as he scratched the back of his head, "tonight is our first performance. I hope all of you enjoy it. Just a disclaimer: our props, extras, and costumes are all by Miyu-chan, so…" This shy disclaimer was met by a few confused expressions from the crowd, but as soon as the show started, it became obvious.

Obito was not adept at genjutsu (not that he had ever really had the chance to practice it as he had not yet activated his Sharingan). It was admittedly his most boring subject, but when the show began, he started to question whether it was unexciting.

The boys were skilled dancers, though their lonely dance was soon completed with the arrival of the girl. She appeared fluidly and in costume, beautifully detailed. As the dance progressed, the colors became more fantastic, the dance more dynamic. Their fluidity was only trumped by the smooth transition between costumes and forms.

The Uchiha found it hard to believe it was possible for anyone to have such fine control over genjutsu. It dawned on him, however, that the dance and song were equally enthralling, and the illusionary fabrics that flowed around their bodies and faded into different and more magnificent costumes was beyond anything he had ever seen. The way their voices seemed to resonate made him shudder with delight.

No, he was not a fan of musical plays, but he could quickly become one.

When the performance was finished, Obito had realized he was so rapt in the jutsu that he forgot to focus on their body control for comparison. Rin was applauding with a smile on her face, and even Kakashi clapped a few times in approval. Indeed, it was a fantastic display. Minato suddenly announced that they were meeting them, to which Rin eagerly stood up and quickly sat back down. At her own expense, she laughed. Her team was grateful for the brief return of their old teammate.

"It was awesome, but I kind of didn't focus on their body control," Obito admitted with a grin. "That use of genjutsu was really spectacular. How do you get that good?"

"With training, obviously," Kakashi muttered. He looked bored and eager for a fight, but Obito ignored Kaka-head's obvious attempts to annoy him. Rin smiled widely, jumping in her seat.

"You thought _that_ was awesome, you should have seen their _moves_. Such grace! And the story was so beautiful and tragic. It takes true talent to make it all work so fantastically." Obito and Minato smiled back at her, though after announcing it was time to go home, she began to shrink into her quiet possession. To try to ease her discomfort, Obito offered her the booklet containing the translation to the songs in the play, which she dismissed with a shake of her head. Frowning, Obito slipped it in his pocket.

After Rin decided to quit, Minato had a discussion with Obito and Kakashi. The former was bent on convincing her to return to the team, but Minato advised against it. War, he explained, was a traumatizing thing. Though death was something they would eventually overcome and work through, everyone reacted to it differently. Rin, a kind soul who held no other thought than to heal and create peace, was shaken by the war.

If she came back, she came back… but if she did not, it was her decision. Different minds worked differently. There was no telling if she would overcome the shock at all. Minato privately discussed Rin's depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with her family, and promised them that she would not be active unless she explicitly said she was ready to continue her shinobi career. As he watched her, the shadow of her former self, he cursed himself for letting them serve in the war.

Yes, it was their duty; but they were so young. Kakashi was obviously fine, Obito could stand it, but Rin was only pretending to endure it as she harbored those horrible images in her mind. No doubt, even he, Konoha no Kiiroi Senkou, had his own demons, but he understood how to overcome them. He only hoped Rin could pull through. She seemed excited about meeting the dancing team, and he hoped that granted him a little more time to set things right.

At home, Obito greeted his parents as usual and explained that his lateness was due to Minato inviting them to dinner. His excuses were left to hang in the air as they only continued whatever conversation they were having to themselves, no glance of acknowledgement offered to him. He headed to his room and tossed the booklet in his desk drawer, returning his attention to the jutsu scroll he had on his desk. As he made notes, it was inevitable that he would come to think of Rin and her complete change in personality. Whatever had happened in the war, it hurt her.

He sighed as he heard his parents argue over his endless failures. It seemed that his abilities were always a point of frustration and disheartenment. Obito had long grown accustomed to the harsh criticism and bitter pity. His parents had great hopes for him after he had learned Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu faster than anyone in the history of his clan. He had a lot of potential, they said, and he remembered feeling incredible happiness when they bragged about his accomplishment and his adeptness with kunai.

He spun his kunai lazily as he stared into the ceiling, remembering how they came to despise him years later. He began to wonder if he could ever do anything right…


	2. Moribund Noise

**Chapter Two: Moribund Noise**

The peace of their training ground betrayed the perturbed essence of the village. Here, Obito could easily forget the greed and folly of the village and villagers. It reminded him of his academy days, though he recalled the constant shadow of disappointment looming over him. He bit the inside of his cheek as he wrapped a blade of grass around his finger.

Regardless of what his clan thought and said, Obito was actually an average ninja. He was not the best, but not the worst either. Many of his teachers praised him for his efforts and performance, though his clan often met these compliments with cynicism and disgust. It was this sense of failure that made him falter in his studies and he barely graduated. For this rather unstable arc in his life, many mocked him by calling him the "Uchiha elite." It did not help that he had a habit of crying.

There were people like Kakashi who infinitely disrespected him. In Obito's frustration, he often missed his targets and gave Kakashi all the more reason to think highly of himself. Of course, Rin brought peace to the storm of his mind.

Many would call her plain, but Obito thought she was the most beautiful girl in Hi no Kuni. Unfortunately, knowing her made him particularly aware of her crush on Kakashi-teme. It was his greatest disappointment to know that he could not even get a girl to like him. To make matters worse, he could never declare himself to her. He was an Uchiha; this should have been the least of his worries!

Then there were students above him that were lower than him, which made his blood boil even more. There was Kaji Tonbo-the son of a merchant of all things-who had more admirers than he did (not that Obito had many to begin with). His mix of arrogance (or so Obito regarded) and charm made him popular among the girls. He even caught Rin's attention on a few occasions.

Then there was Fuyu Asuka, a shy and intelligent shinobi who was the son of a tailor. His kindness, politeness, and keen attention to detail rendered him a sensitive soul among the teachers and females. Obito envied his ability to charm without being overt.

Finally, there was Kosame Miyu. Obito did not remember her much, really, just that she had pulled a few hilarious pranks and she was friends with Umino Iruka. He remembered several rumors about her family, though he never really paid attention to them. _Come to think of it_, he thought, _I don't actually have a face for her._

He bit his lip as Kakashi arrived, stifling an insult. The jounin raised an eyebrow at him, recognizing his abnormal timeliness. It was obvious that Obito had arrived early to join the normally-early Rin. Later, Minato joined them, but there was no sign of Rin. It was no longer abnormal, but considering her excitement the previous night, it _was_ strange. Minato seemed taken aback, furrowing his brows as he considered his student's reports on her absence. With a mutter of gratitude, he bowed and promptly left with an apology.

Needless to say, Obito was _not_ eager to spend time with Kakashi-teme.

Luckily, the "dancing" team arrived, though only two of them. Tonbo was not among them, which Asuka explained was due to an illness in the family. The boy did not look well himself, timidly pulling down the sleeves of his tailored sweater. Obito did not care, either way, and instead turned his attention to the girl.

From her ethereal dancing the previous night, Obito could not help but expect her to be equally otherworldly. He was, however, disappointed. She was average-looking, her brown skin (which previously appeared so exotic) looking equally average. Her grey eyes were not smoldering and her nappy, dark auburn hair was apparently un-styled and was frizzy with neglect. Overall, Obito found it hard to reconcile that beautiful siren from the previous night to the peasant-ish tomboy before him today.

"Your sensei?" she asked, peering about her cautiously. It seemed she was afflicted with some type of shyness. She shifted uncomfortably in her oversized clothing, shoving her hands in her large pockets. "Minato-sensei said he would be here, so…"

"Minato-sensei told us to lecture you on our abilities," Asuka said with a smile. Something in his expression stunned Obito, a certain chill that lay dormant in the boy's gaze. "Ano… We practice taijutsu constantly and… I believe that our practice with chakra and… our team is considered exceptional because of our control."

Obito thought that was the most anticlimactic speech he ever had the misfortune to hear.

"Asuka-kun!" Miyu chided, suddenly showing a bit more aggression as she tousled his hair. "We're all shinobi. It's practice, practice, practice! I don't mean to sound arrogant at all when I say you can come to us for help. We're happy to help our fellow shinobi!" For her bravery, Obito tried to smile a bit, but Kakashi immediately spoke.

"Obito, here, needs all the help he can get. Perhaps another black sheep can sympathize with his short-comings." Obito shot a glare at his teammate, who merely shrugged.

The Uchiha discovered that Miyu often wore her heart on her sleeve, her expressions oozing frustration and indignation. "Black sheep? Shortcomings? Please tell me you're speaking for yourself and not your teammate. That is reprehensible beyond belief!"

"I, uh, don't need you to defend me," Obito said, crossing his arms. He shrugged, "Besides, he's never been a nice person. Whaddya expect?"

"I expect a strict following in the shinobi code of conduct! Not much has changed since the Acadamy, eh Hatake-baka?" She pursed her lips, struggling to come to terms with what Kakashi had just done. Obito did not think it was a big deal; it was nothing out of the norm. However, Kakashi went a step further with the insults.

"Code of conduct, eh? That's interesting, considering your whore of a mother."

If Obito was starting to doze off, he was wide-awake at that point. _Did he seriously just say that?_ He knew Kakashi had a mouth on him sometimes, but he had never, _ever_, heard him go so far. There was a certain boundary the Hatake seemed to tread upon lightly. Well, whatever it was, Kakashi had just pissed all over it.

Though he expected a tearful reaction, he did not anticipate the wordless, passive expression that overcame her. Was she unfazed by that? Was it _possible_ to be unfazed by that? Kakashi, seeing something Obito did not, drifted into a fighting stance as Miyu did the same. With her steadiness and control, he suddenly recognized the essence of the girl from the previous night. She looked like a proud warrior from a tribe, only lacking the costume to complete the spirit. Obito noted with a twinge of pity that her clothing was tattered at the edges.

Before he knew it, they were both at it. Asuka sat in the grass, observing silently as his teammate became nothing but a blur in the air. Kakashi, from what Obito could see, began a lightning attack before it was somehow disabled. Pity was replaced with awe as he felt strong, chakra-induced winds pulse from the two fighters.

When the two slowed, the Uchiha immediately focused on her control. That beautiful grace awed him again as she took a different stance, Kakashi seemingly unable to move. From there, she flowed into the fight. It surprised Obito that such beautiful, smooth movements were kicking Kakashi's ass. She finished, elbowing him in the sternum and spinning a brutal kick into his abdomen. Though he knew the answer, he was confused as to whether he had witnessed a fight or a dance.

He fought the urge to applaud as she took a bow in Kakashi's direction. The Uchiha was breath-taken, his heart beating wildly in his chest. How in the world did she do that? To have beaten Kakashi in a fistfight, what was her shinobi rank?

Asuka interrupted what was sure to be a deluge of questions. He whispered something into her ear, both of them staring into the sky at a white bird that circled the area. She announced that they were leaving with a bow, though before disappearing, she turned to Obito. "You're the master of your own destiny. Please never forget that." Obito heard, but there were more important things to attend to.

He bit his bottom lip to stifle his laughing. He wanted _so_ badly to rub the Hatake's defeat in his face. Kakashi was lying in the middle of the field, limbs spread out as he faced the sky. He took a sharp, deep breath and got up, staggering to find his balance. He rubbed his head, shaking. "N-no way… What the hell is that girl?" He quickly removed his mask to vomit into the grass. Obito winced, though his grin was widening. Sure, his teammate was indignant, but he would pay her any sum of money to do it again.

After Kakashi had calmed down and stopped coughing, he began explaining in ire. "What the hell is that girl?" he coughed wildly. "She suddenly had me in the air! And then she absorbed my chakra! And then-" another coughing fit. He beat the ground, "God _damn_, she hit my pressure points or something! She was _laughing_ at me!"

Obito quirked his eyebrows, sporting a toothy grin, "Well, you _did_ insult her, if you've forgotten." He playfully sauntered to him, admiring how beautiful the day had become. "Say, if you're done drooling and barfing, we should go visit Rin. How about it?" He patted him roughly on the back for good measure. The indignant jounin glared at him.

"No."

"No? She's our teammate." Obito crossed his arms at him, "Who was there when we needed medical assistance during missions? _Rin_, that's who! Now stop being such a _baby_ and come visit her with me."

Kakashi wiped the spit off of his chin, still glaring. "I don't need lecturing on being a _baby_ from the _crybaby-ninja_ of all people." He dusted himself off, but a sudden explosion made him jump. Both shinobi looked on into the village, confused as a cloud of dust and debris formed over a neighborhood. With a quick glance and nod at one another, they headed toward what they believed to be the source of the noise.

When they arrived, the Uchiha Military Police Force was already in the area. With them at the scene, the other shinobi need not investigate. Obito did not miss the snobbish glares his fellow clansmen shot at him upon arrival, which made his expression sink. Behind those dark feelings bubbling at his core, he stared beyond them. Something was drifting softly in the air, like dark feathers. It was a surreal and unsettling scene.

Obito's only relief was that the explosion was not in an area close to Rin. He remembered his plans to see her and bid farewell to Kakashi.

Admittedly, he was glad the jounin would not be joining him. He wanted to talk to Rin alone, anyway. At the thought, his heart started racing, and his mind began flooding with different "happy-ending" scenarios given the chance to beguile and court her. That alone brought hope and a smile to his face, and he focused chakra to his feet to arrive faster.

After arriving and promising her mother to keep the door to her room open, he finally visited Rin. One bad habit for the young chuunin was filling his mind with certain expectations, such as Rin being so impressed with him that she is inspired to embrace him, or gaining so much strength that Rin becomes helplessly in love with him. Of course, those fantastic expectations were usually defeated along with him during missions or a fight with Kakashi. Sometimes they were muddled under his own tears-a bad result of stress, terror, or frustration.

Visiting Rin, his expectations were comparatively miniscule. He wanted her to smile at him and greet him, and talk pleasantries. Somehow, he was happy to conform to that in any situation. However, even those expectations were crushed. He called out to her happily, but she did not look at him immediately.

If someone had told him that girl near the window was Rin, he would not have believed it. She sat against her wall on her bed, knees tucked to her chest as she stared longingly into the horizon. He called to her again, and this time she turned. Her beautiful brown eyes appeared dead, and it startled him.

"Obito?"

What happened to her voice? It sounded hoarse and frail… She appeared so small and weak. He was at a loss for words as she drew her knees to her chest, appearing moribund as she returned to attention to the horizon.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone. Please leave me alone."

What could he do? He was so shocked, he agreed instead of argue as he normally would. She seemed to be a ghost, and that scared him. What happened to the Rin that always smiled at him? The one that told him it was "alright" when he failed? He needed to help her somehow; cheer her up.

But what could he do?

At home, he stared at the picture of his team, smiling as he recalled that day. Rin was particularly playful, laughing and smiling with all the beauty in her heart. He bit his lip, taking out the booklet with the translated songs to his favorite of the night, _Cette Belle_. Though it was obviously not something he could attribute to Rin, it was still lovely. As something dark began to infiltrate his mind, he began to hum quietly.

Miyu could never reconcile her ideal of the world to reality. She was an idealist, through and through, and her optimism sometimes clouded the dreary haze of what actually existed. That disappointment-that eternal failure of the world around her-made her question why she existed at all.

She once thought she was normal. She once believed that the way her life played out was a natural script that many people performed. She was blessed with a sound mind, privileged with an able body, and gifted with talents the shinobi world revered… but all of that mattered naught. As she practiced her taijutsu in the forest, she tried to block dismal thoughts from her mind, the trees cradling her loneliness in their dance with the wind.

Miyu exhaled, allowing the pain of what Kakashi told her, the pain of her previous tormentors, to become nothing but white air evanescing into the darkness. Miyu forgave them all, for they knew not what they did.


	3. Like a Child

**Chapter Three: Like a Child**

It was released the next day that the bomb was from a family, and they killed another family just outside the home along with a few individuals. Konoha, though slowly repairing itself, seemed to be turning itself upside down from the inside.

Uchiha Obito could never brag about his family. His mother and father, upon recognizing his shortcomings, were eager to rid their hands of him. They were not overtly hateful of him, but they became more and more distant as the years passed. It was as though not being better than the rest of the shinobi was the worst thing Obito could be. For all of his failures, Obito had come to hate himself increasingly.

He mostly avoided spending time at home with his family. He did not want to meet their disapproving eyes, nor their constant speeches about how weak and worthless he was. At times, like today, he did not even want to put on his uniform, which sported the symbol of his family. He acted tough and strong, but yes, it hurt. It hurt a lot.

Perhaps that was why Rin's encouragement had won his affections. He admired the girl who smiled at him, whose spirit defeated those painful shuns. Perhaps that was why, despite her constantly telling him to stop visiting her, he continued to go and see her. Despite failed attempts at conversation, and how it came to hurt him progressively more how much she had changed, he still hoped for a small smile. Just one smile from her would make everything all right.

He met with her again that day, but without success as always. He suspected she just learned to ignore him completely over the past weeks. He began to wonder whom he was talking to; that girl before him was not Rin. He felt tears well up in his eyes, and he exhaled shakily. Rin was beautiful because she acknowledged him, because she was talented and dedicated to her career. He loved her and missed her, and that longing pained him. Should he tell her? Would it even register?

"I miss you."

His words did not register. He wanted to hurt more, but it appeared he was suddenly too numb to be hurt anymore. Did she hear at all? Who knew. After crying over the girl that had made him feel even slightly worthwhile, he decided enough was enough. Without saying goodbye, he left.

His mind had gone blank for a while, but he snapped out of it as someone called his name. Someone put a gentle hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his daze. It was not Rin, as his mind had hoped. He ruthlessly killed that wish, his eyes adjusting to the familiar, yet alien face. Of course it was not Rin; it was Miyu.

"Kosame-san," he regarded flatly, a hint of surprise in his tone. She smiled weakly to him, her expression a tad downcast. "W-what's the matter?" He cursed the waver in his voice as she exhaled.

For her part, she was kicking herself for allowing her desperation to control her actions. Her androphobia had dwindled as time passed and she made strong, loyal friendships with Iruka and others. It had dwindled too much, in her mind. "Sorry, Obito-san… Ano, Tonbo-kun and Asuka-kun are… n-not feeling well." She smiled and shrugged, forcing any indication of her sadness away. He glanced briefly at Rin's home, understanding her misery. "S-sorry. If you're busy…"

"Well, yes. I'm, uh, going to train." Her eyes lit up briefly, flexing her fingers and glancing about. She bit her bottom lip nervously and looked down. Obito could have sworn she was on the verge of tears.

"If it's… not … I don't mean to impose. Iruka's busy and… I'm sorry," she shook her head, sighing. "May I join you? Please?" Obito might not have been the most intelligent in his class, but he knew when someone needed to take their minds off things. Though he had never been the shoulder to cry on, nor the best friend that anyone relied on, he recognized that she needed time away from her thoughts. He agreed.

The walk to the Uchiha compound, a small sector of the village, was a relatively quiet and eventless one. As they got nearer to that side of the village, however, there were several things that began to bother him. One was the glares he seemed to receive, to which Miyu appeared to squirm. What was their problem? Were his failures becoming infamous? She kept on behind him, but as Obito entered the gate between the village and the Uchiha compound, he realized she was not following. He looked back to her, and she gawked at the gate, frozen and pale as ice.

"... You're an Uchiha? Uchiha no Obito?" Had he made a name for himself as the biggest failure in the clan? He merely nodded. "I… I can't believe it. Ano…" she shook her head. "I had no idea… You don't seem like an Uchiha." She wrung her hands on the hem of her tattered shirt, shrinking into herself.

Was she trying to insult him even more? He already knew he was the biggest failure to have been born to the clan. He stifled that hatred and insult. "Well, I am. Got a problem with that?"

He watched her visibly struggle at that, her legs shaking, from what he could see. In an obvious act of will, she cautiously stepped into the compound. Her lips trembled, but with an inhale, all of that mysterious apprehension and fear disappeared. She blinked and then smiled at him, giving a heart-filled laugh. "Sorry, U…Uchiha-san. It's just you're not the stereotypical Uchiha male." Obito must have looked insulted because she immediately looked surprised. "No, no! Don't misunderstand. I think that's a very good thing."

A good thing? How could that possibly be a good thing? She was obviously laughing at him. Whatever had told him that, however, was wrong. Her smile was very sincere. It became beyond clear, at that point, that she meant what she said. That approving, understanding, and accepting gaze was hard to deny, but also hard to accept. Still, it was nice.

Actually, it was very nice. He probably looked like a complete fool, but after they warmed up, his taijutsu seemed to flow more smoothly. He was trying to imitate her taijutsu while incorporating the Uchiha clan's advanced techniques. As she practiced her own taijutsu, he watched. Her style was very fluid, but he recognized many variations between styles he had seen before.

For instance, some of her direct attacks appeared to be imitations of the Hyuuga clan's Jyuuken style. Many of her counters seemed to be hybrids of Jyuuken and Maito Gai's techniques, and others seemed to be that of his own clan's combinations and finishing blows. A good portion of it seemed to be street fighting and dance. Whatever it was, hybridization of styles or not, Obito had to admit she looked divine executing it, despite her (to put it bluntly) vagrant appearance.

"How do you make it look so… ano, for lack of a better word, beautiful?" He choked; did he actually say that? He felt himself turn completely red as she looked at him. "Don't misunderstand! I mean, how, uhm…" Damn, he was stupid. "S-sorry. I just… No, I mean, how do you make it look so delicate and striking when you fight?"

Instead of embarrassing him, she laughed and shrugged. No mocking? No speeches on how stupid he was? "Well," she began, "there's a method to it. See me now?" she smiled, pointing at her face and clothes. "Not too gorgeous, right? Well, if I _move_ like I'm the most divine little thing to touch the planet since Amaterasu's gaze," she allowed herself to giggle a bit, "well, my enemy believes it, too."

She walked in front of him, erecting her finger as if to lecture. "In the mind of my enemy, I have to become more than just a kunoichi. As a girl without many assets, I obviously can't seduce anyone or stun them with my good looks. But in a fight, when I combine my grace, speed, and various styles, they no longer know what to expect. In an instant, I can become brutal and choppy if graceful and fluid doesn't work. Variety is the key to being a successful shinobi!" She put her hands on her hips and turned to the side, shrugging, "And if all of that doesn't work, hey, I don't need two hands to cast a jutsu."

He wanted to ask what level she was, but was too assiduous in his attention to her lecture. He needed to become more than just a shinobi. In that case, he wanted to become something beyond defeat-like a god! But how could someone so weak become a god? Luckily, he was no longer as apprehensive to direct questions to her. "How can I… do the same?"

"What's this? An Uchiha wants advice from little ol' me?" Seeing his deadpan look, she snorted. "I'm just kidding. Let's see your moves."

_Now_ he was nervous. He did not want to embarrass himself in front of an obvious genius. He began and tripped. He did not begrudge her a giggle, but felt ashamed when she told him to relax. He tried to imitate her fluidity, her control and genius variety. However, it seemed he was doomed to fail, no matter what. She did not say anything when he messed up, whether out of pity or disgust.

"Uchiha-san, you're better than you think you are. Please relax."

Better than he thought he was? It gave him a small boost of confidence, even if she did not mean it. He kept going and he noted her approving nods in his peripheral vision. No, she was not Rin, but he was so starved for approval that even the slightest amount helped him. He flowed naturally between moves and combinations, all without messing up. Well, once or twice, but it was still a great execution. He hardly noticed when he finished. Miyu was applauding him, her smile obscured in the slight light.

"You're great, Uchiha-san! These are intermediate moves, but it seems like you have the hang of them. You keep getting nervous, though." She bumped him with her hip. "You really are better than you think, though."

There was this physical high he suddenly felt, like he was floating. It was wonderful to receive encouragement, and even more so because he did not expect it. He was filled with joy, and though he knew it was a tad pathetic, he was just glad spending time with a new friend took his mind off Rin. Miyu's grey eyes lit up meeting his face, though she tucked her chin a bit.

"Ano, thank you for letting me train with you. It really helped take my mind off things." Obito grinned and shrugged, though she looked a bit crestfallen as she realized it was almost time to go. "If it's not too much of a bother or imposition on my part, would you mind taking a walk with me?" There was no reason to say no, and being home at all was not really part of his daily schedule besides sleeping there.

She bought him an ice cream as they strolled the various streets. One thing Obito always appreciated was the freedom to open up shops, temporarily or otherwise, without many restrictions. It allowed for some healthy competitions among the vendors and gave a spice of variety to Konoha. Another thing was the security of being able to walk around the village without fear of being victimized. As a weakling, he always worried about that.

_Well_, he thought again, _I guess it's just me holding me back_.

"So," she began, smiling mischievously; it appeared that it was a trademark of hers, to always appear to be up to something, "your sensei tells me you and Kakashi never get along." Her intention was questionable. Obito worried that she might blame him for his weakness for a split second before she explained, "Personally, I can't believe you haven't disowned him. If what he did yesterday wasn't the worst of it as Minato-sensei says, then you're completely unbelievable. I couldn't stand someone like that in my team."

"Yes, he's a tad insufferable," Obito grinned. It was an obvious understatement as she mouthed "a tad," rolling her eyes. "So how'd you get so good at dancing?"

"I think of it as an expression of what I feel." She smiled sweetly, swaying her hips to one side. "I can express what I feel through it, which is why I practice and attempt to perfect it. I guess that's why." Obito nodded carefully, not fully comprehending but accepting of the answer. "How did you get so un-Uchiha? I mean this in the best possible way, you know."

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Well… and I'm not trying to be rude… but your clan is full of snobs." She laughed, bumping into him playfully; though her playful habits put him off a bit, he knew she did not mean anything rude. He figured this was her personality and reminded himself that. "It's nice to see someone with their feet on the ground. Well, you just need more confidence is all."

Suddenly conversation seemed to flow. They found themselves in unknown parts of the village, still talking about general things in each other's lives. It never occurred to either of them that it was getting late at all, the closing shops faded into the background. At some point in the conversation, Obito rediscovered his playful self, and for once, he was laughing. It felt good to have a friend he could laugh with. He even began to wonder why he never talked to her in the Academy.

"Well, what happened to your team? I mean, not to be nosey or anything. My sensei just told me your team was not an original team."

She looked thoughtfully to the night sky, tapping her bottom lip, "Died during the war. All of our teams." She took the time to shrug and purse her lips. "War changes people, you know? Not to belittle the endless tragedy of even losing _one_ life, but it just boggles me how things can escalate so quickly."

Obito nodded, "Yes. One day, they're completely normal, then before you know it…"

"They're suddenly their complete opposite, as if preparing themselves to die." Both of them fell silent. It occurred to him that she was having the same problem with one of her friends. It was difficult for him to imagine someone like Tonbo to become taciturn, but he knew that with Rin, all changes were possible. He sighed, biting the inside of his cheek.

"Say, uh… A friend of mine seems to be having a hard time coping with what happened. Do you have any idea of what I could do for her?"

She looked like she had been bracing herself for this question all along, looking disappointed. "It sucks, but there's only one thing you can do. Be there for them." He was equally dissatisfied with the answer, wanting something magical to snap her out of it. Still, Miyu was right. He already knew the answer himself, but he wanted something more productive. She set her hand on his shoulder again, "Just be there for her. Let Rin know that."

She knew all along. Somehow, that made it harder, as though the problem was just as big as he thought, and no matter who it was about, there was still nothing more he could do. They bid each other good night.

As he walked home, he groped his mind for ideas. He wanted to do something more productive, more obvious. While he walked the streets of Konoha the next day, he found the answer; flowers. He excitedly bought bright daffodils from the Yamanaka Flower Shop and raced to Rin's house as though he had a deadline within minutes, or he was late for another team meeting. He knocked eagerly on the door, and her tired, sagging mother answered the door.

"Obito-kun," she addressed wearily. "Rin no longer wants to see you. Please leave."

Something in him ripped in half. He suddenly felt like the biggest fool on the planet to be standing there where he was not wanted. He pushed those doubts aside, saying in perfect composure, "Please give these and my get-well wishes to Rin." Though visibly hesitant, the older woman took them, thanked him, and closed the door.

As he turned, those words resonated brutally in his mind. "Rin no longer wants to see you… leave." He felt himself tear up, and he pushed his goggles over his eyes. Could that be true? Could Rin no longer stand the sight of him? It was entirely possible, and the only one standing to lose anything was him. God, he was so stupid. Of course she could not stand him.

"Oi." He was snapped out of that self-evisceration, finding Kakashi standing in front of him. "Sensei has been chosen to become Yondaime Hokage." He handed him a card with a personal message from their sensei and left.

The words were there, but his mind could not read them. He stared at the card stupidly, but all he could see were his legacy of failures and shortcomings. As he stuffed that letter in the desk drawer, he thought. His team had been through so much together, only to result in his most epic failure thus far. Kakashi hated him, sensei pitied him, but worst of all, Rin's silence and her indirect words sliced through him entirely. He found himself questioning why he was there at all.


	4. Tomorrow's Blessings

**Chapter Four: Tomorrow's Blessings**

The saddest part of his sensei's inauguration as Yondaime Hokage was that Obito could not remember it. He remembered looking around as the world seemed to spin wildly out of his control. Rin was not at the inauguration, and Miyu was present, but alone as well. There was a lot of noise, a lot of cheering, and his sensei promising prosperity in the future. He clapped automatically, and cheered without spirit. The year progressed slowly in his mind, but it seemed like he blinked once and suddenly, Konoha was united and repaired.

But not his clan. He realized that he spent more and more time at home, being miserable through the months. Many times, he found that the nights he spent with Miyu gave him the most solace during his most depressed days. As the months passed since their seventeenth outing, however, it seemed like he could not even remember it, and he figured maybe he was just imagining things. Whatever happiness he had obtained was bludgeoned as time passed painfully.

One odd day, he found himself with Kakashi at the team's old training field. Ghosts of the past times smarted across the terrain. He frowned as he remembered his stupid wish to become an elite shinobi, and remembered his many antics with embarrassment. As Kakashi displayed an animal mask, Obito blinked. "You made ANBU?"

"Hai," Kakashi muttered, raising his chin sharply. He fiddled with it a bit, trying it on without successfully keeping it in place.

_Figures_, the chuunin moped. He laid down in the grass, staring sadly into the green leaves. Even the warm breeze did not cheer him as he tried to relish the feeling.

"If you don't want to attach it to your hitati-ate, you have to use chakra to keep it on," Miyu said, appearing suddenly and scaring the crap out of both of them. "A small genjutsu should also be helpful, just in case it falls off; it helps if your identity isn't discovered. Hello, Uchiha-san! And congratulations on making it, Hatake-san. It's no easy feat." Kakashi was gritting his teeth.

She plopped down next to Obito and beamed at him, "Long time no see! Have you been avoiding me?" she pouted, and as Obito began to explain that it was not the case, she grinned, sticking out her tongue. "Just kidding. How's Rin, huh? Is she better?"

Maybe he was extra stupid this time around, but he answered anyway, a bit of that physical high returning as something in him remembered her. "I, uh, haven't heard from her. I assume her condition is just the same." Her expression fell at that, looking to him apologetically. He suddenly resented her sincerity and consideration, wishing to be alone again. He tried to make himself stop hoping for true friendship from her by attempting to list all of the things wrong with her.

"Maybe if you stopped moping and started training, you could impress her enough to even look at you," Kakashi suggested, giving him that particular look Obito grew to hate over the years. He felt Miyu's hand on his shoulder again, splitting his attention.

"Hold on there, Hatake-_baka_. I'm sure this is going to be news to you, considering how self-centered and self-righteous you are, but to most _intelligent _women, personality has a lot to do with how much we are impressed by someone." She held her hand up to object as he started, "And before you start running that foul mouth of yours, while I do congratulate you on your success, I have one last thing to say: If you were a suitor of mine and tried to impress me with your new status, I wouldn't even glance in your direction."

"Speaking of not being impressed, I'm sure that your own status is an absolute charm to your suitors." Obito straightened a bit at that, remembering several veiled insults directed at the girl before. He observed Miyu stiffen a bit, and then raise her chin.

"Funny thing about that; I'm not insulted because I actually like myself. You know what _would_ impress me? Helping your teammates. I'm sure that it would mean a lot to anyone with the emotional capacity larger than a pea."

Obito did not know whether to thank her or be annoyed. She was particularly cynical in regards to Kakashi, and seemed to have much more to say. "You didn't have to do that, you know."

"I didn't do it for you," she grumbled. "I think that haughty _elite_ of a shinobi needs to learn some manners. It might do him some good, since he hasn't grown from his days at the Academy." She glared at the Hatake as she finished. The young chuunin could not remember what they were fighting about anymore. Try as he might and annoyed as he was, a part of him would not let himself hate her.

She only came by to greet him, apparently, as she left saying it was nice to see him. He wanted nothing more than to have her stay so that they could catch up. Loneliness had consumed a good part of him, a byproduct of what he went through with Rin. He felt stupid for clinging onto someone he barely knew for comfort, scolding himself for not being more independent.

For his part, he felt guilty, as though he still could do something to help Rin. He looked to Kakashi, the object of Rin's affections. It was his biggest annoyance that someone as crude and self-centered as the jounin could captivate her romantically. It was the cruelest joke, though maybe the young Uchiha deserved the disappointment as a demonstration of his pathetic existence. He quickly shook those thoughts out of his head.

"Kakashi, have you gone to visit Rin since…?"

"Only to deliver an invitation, but it was not to her," he answered in an official tone. "It was her mother." The shinobi tightened the straps on his armor, admiring on the evenness of the design. "Personally, I want nothing to do with that sort of thing."

Something bubbled deep within his chest. This person, the one with the most influence on Rin's happiness, refused to see her? Was it possible to be this impersonal? He somehow could not put his outrage into words, only saying, "Rin admires you."

"I know." He felt that thing boil; was it really so simple to dismiss someone like this? "And anyone could see that you like Rin. Your bias is obvious."

"That's not it and you know it! You can talk to her, you can get her to smile again!" Against his will, he felt his eyes start tearing, "During our missions, she was the one who healed us! If not for her, both of us would be dead!" Without any response from the former-teammate, he continued, "She was so happy to join you on your first jounin mission. The faith and love she has for you is remarkable, so won't you help her now that she needs you?"

"Iryounin are a part of a new genius system by Konoha. They increase the survival rate of shinobi and the success rate of missions. Helping us was not her as a friend, but her duty. Don't confuse the two."

He did not realize it, but it became clear that he hated Kakashi much more than he realized. In a show of speed and power far beyond what he thought capable of himself, he had punched his superior to the ground. "I can't stand you! I can't believe you'd be so willing to throw her life away for some misplaced sense of duty!"

Kakashi looked wide-eyed for a bit, though quickly resumed his stance on the subject."Whether you hate me or not is inconsequential. It was Rin's duty to serve the way she did, and what happens to her outside of a mission has nothing to do with me. She was kidnapped during the mission, but Gai and I were able to save her after completing our objecti-"

He deserved that second punch to the face. Obito never knew the details of the mission, but what could possess someone to leave their teammate behind? What horrors could she have endured whilst Kakashi completed the mission? "I can't believe you! How can you think like that?"

At one point, Minato had privately discussed with Obito about Kakashi's mentality. He understood Kakashi as a great ninja, and the reason he was so adamant about following the rules and regulations was because his father was betrayed and disgraced by the companions he had saved. Regardless, that had nothing to do with Rin.

Obito could not stand seeing him anymore, turning away from him. "I believe that Konoha no Shiroi Kiba was a true hero for that loyalty to his companions, regardless of the rules and regulations of shinobi. Yes, in our unforgiving shinobi world, those who don't follow those standards are trash… but I believe that those who don't care about their companions are even lower than that!" The world seemed to spin again, his newfound courage and nindo ensconcing him in a new sense of pride and power.

"If it means protecting my companions, I'll break the rules… and if that's not being a true shinobi, then I'll crush that truth and make my own way."

He could not see the many reactions in Kakashi, but Miyu could. She stared forth from the stairs, having heard his speech in its entirety. She smiled, realizing that her intuition was correct in trusting this boy, regardless of his family. She still held her reservations, a dark cloud looming over her compassion as she recalled her earlier days. He had a better way of handling things. Though others might disagree, his ability to feel gave him the greatest type of strength.

She envied that, watching him approach. She had a message to deliver, but her mind suddenly confused him for a leader. She tried to call out to him and almost called him "Hokage-sama."

_Whoops_, she snickered to herself, biting her bottom lip. "Oi, Uchiha-san!" She raced up to him, handing him a sealed letter. Upon catching his gaze, she winked at him, "I already know what it's about. Aren't you happy now that you're going to be Obito-nii-san?"

She was referring to Minato's unborn son. Obito unsealed the letter eagerly and read its contents with a wide smile. She then added in a tone saturated with sarcasm, "Of course, there's Kakashi-nii-san, too, but I'm not sure how the kid will like that." She giggled in a charming, though ostensibly airheaded manner. She did not know where this new laugh came from, but it was unique to her time with Obito. He laughed at her unique laugh, though he admitted it was appealing.

Inevitably, they joined each other in conversation. They walked Konoha's streets as she asked about his sensei and his wife, who Obito described in cautious detail. The discussion of children was also unavoidable. "I'm not really all that eager to care for a brat," he explained with a nervous smile. This was not a subject he thought about at length, nor did he want to. "Of my own, I don't think I want any."

Miyu grinned slyly, and then began to chide him playfully. Obito's spirit was quietly glowing as the same happiness from the previous times crept into his body. It was very welcomed. "Oi, oi! Say that to any other woman and she'll want to _convert_ you into the perfect father figure." Obito visibly cringed at that, and she laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not one of those women; I don't want kids either. To tell the truth, if you don't mind me going off on a tangent here… I really hate that the default fate for any woman is to become a mother.

"A lot of women follow society's expectations, not being fit to be nurturing, effective parents. This goes for men, too, but it's honestly not viewed as unacceptable if a man never marries and has children. Women on the other hand are subject to social stigma. If you are unable to physically reproduce on your own, you're expected to try anything and everything to give birth." She choked jokingly, gripping his sleeve as she made barfing noises into the street.

"I joke," she suddenly dismissed, regaining her composure with a huge smile. Obito wanted to feel embarrassed, but the way she went an extra step further to make him laugh… well, he laughed at the expressions she inspired in the surrounding people. She shrugged, smirking, "Hey, if I ever want a kid, I'll adopt. There are enough unwanted children in the world for me to push another one out of my vag."

He choked at her bluntness. He admitted it sometimes made him uncomfortable, but that unyielding personality, emanating acceptance, intelligence, and truth made her someone he could trust without reserve. Not yet, naturally, but he could soon call her his best friend. It helped that she was less like the stereotypical kunoichi. He was tempted to challenge her to an arm-wrestling match, but she received a mission scroll and sadly had to leave. She apologized with that worried expression as she left.

He stopped by a ring shop as he headed home, which gave him an idea. He knew that Rin wanted children of her own, which meant that she wanted to get married. With his savings, he bought an engagement ring from the befuddled clerk and raced off toward her house. He knew it was crazy, but whatever reaction she gave him, at least it meant she was still alive.

After pleading with her mother, Obito was allowed to go see her upstairs. She was much the same, only much thinner than ever. He gulped as he realized how unkempt her beautiful hair was, and how she appeared to be the very image of a corpse as she laid there. It unnerved him and he trembled a bit before he stopped himself. He had an objective. He moved toward her, his stomach lurching as he tried to reconcile this person with the Rin he knew and loved. He wanted to see that humble, peaceful smile.

He greeted her and kneeled. She stared blankly into the ceiling as he asked for her hand in marriage and promised to do everything in his power to make her happy. "Of course, we won't be getting married any time soon. We're too young and all… but I promise to get stronger and become a man worthy of you."

As usual, there was no response. He expected something—anything. He would have conformed with a laugh or half-smile. Obito only wanted to see her do something other than play corpse in her room. He left the ring on her nightstand, and stood, staring at this faded shell of the girl he loved. Suddenly, she started laughing; a deep, sinister, sarcastic laugh.

"You've always been the stupid one. Marry you? I'm sure that even you can see I have no interest in that. My future has nothing to do with you." He was not looking for this laugh, and she became unresponsive after she told him to leave and never come back.

Something had consumed her and there was nothing he could do anymore. He felt limp and weak, hands painfully at his sides. Obito wanted to know, to understand where the Rin he loved had gone. Pain flooded his body as the truth of her death had settled. Rin was gone.

He left saying, "I always loved and admired you, since the Academy. Being on your team was like a dream come true for me, and serving alongside you was a godsend. You mean everything to me, and I'm willing to do anything for you-even look like a fool. Well, that is… you meant everything to me, and I was willing to do anything for you. I just wanted to see you smile again, is all."

His mind liked to force itself into a haze, it seemed. If things were too hard to handle, it was much easier to dissociate himself from the emotions and thoughts than to face them. As he reached the gates that marked the compound, he could not bring himself to enter. What for? It was no haven for him. He realized at that moment that something was beginning to infect his mind as well. This contagion of isolation was probably an epidemic within the village.

"Uchiha-san?" He immediately looked to Miyu, who was standing in the last rays of sunlight. She laughed a bit, "Well, we're familiar now, right? May I call you Obito-san?"

"Obito is just fine," he mumbled. She was carrying something in her hands, which she announced to be her homemade chocolate marble pie. He tried to wave her off, but he needed her company too much to say no. He took a spoonful of the dessert in his mouth. The sugar somehow made his mind feel lighter.

"By the way," she said between spoonfuls, "the speech you made earlier was positively sublime. I'm so glad to hear this from you. You're really a great person, Obito." She laughed her peculiar laugh, adding, "And those two punches right in his face! _Wam!_"

Obito could not help but grin and blush at her remarks. He remembered how good he felt earlier that day. Where was that bravery and strength now that he needed it the most? Of course, he could never be as strong as he felt, but it felt nice to have a bit of confidence. He realized with bitterness that it was just him, mouthing off again. The mix of sugar and chocolate, though, seemed to muffle those thoughts. He became aware that Miyu was with him for the same reason he was with her.

"What happened to your friends?"

That question was just the answer. She tried to smile and shrug, only to have tears clearly glisten in the streetlight. It was a while before she responded, something writhing in the silence. "Th-they committed suicide together. That explosion a few months ago killed their families and…" She sobbed over her treat, feeling as if her innards were going to spill with her tears. Obito put a hand on her shoulder, but she started again, the tears almost completely gone as she looked at him intensely. He admired her ability to hide her emotions like that.

"War does this to people. Both of them were blinded by things they couldn't forget and that's how they ended up killing themselves." She wiped away her tears and sniffed, "I can't help but think that they were killed a long time ago, in that stupid war."

It was remarkable how she had better explanations for things than he did. Her words defined exactly how he felt about Rin. She asked him if he had visited Rin and how she was faring. Both were difficult questions for him answer, but he told her he believed Rin had died a long time ago as well. The conversation had sure taken a downturn. "…But the pie is delicious."

He was glad he spoke up, and with a smile to each other, they began another enjoyable conversation on their careers. Obito told her he had particular trouble with taijutsu and genjutsu, to which she offered tips on increasing his chakra reserves. He already knew a lot of it, he found, but she insisted that practicing the fundamentals of training were his best route to improving.

He suddenly started on the subject of pranks, and she described in great detail about many of the ones she had executed on the insufferable history teacher. Obito was delighted as she acted out Kakashi's surprise to one of her unique stink bombs in his desk. He laughed so loudly, the neighbors yelled at them. What did it matter? He was happy and he felt like staying forever.

It came to an inexcusable time of night with Obito apprehensively saying he needed to leave. She walked with him to the gates of the compound, apologizing for keeping him out so late. He observed the wild, nocturnal lily flowers growing near the door, bathed in the moonlight and glowing pure white. He told her it was fine, and felt her embrace him.

It was a short time, but he reveled in the warmth of it; she smelled of something tangy and fruity. Just as he moved to return the embrace, she left him with a curt "oyasumi." Though it was short (unfortunately short, as he regarded), it still brought a thankful, yet embarrassed smile to his face. He could not remember the last time he was held by anyone. He suddenly had a lot of gratitude for his new friend.

As expected, he was grounded for returning in the later hours of the morning. He caught a few words of disappointment as he headed to his room, but he was pleased with the results of his outing. As he stared to the ceiling, he smiled as he remembered her somehow prettier face that night. For whatever reason, the translated lyrics of the song she danced to so long ago echoed beautifully in his mind as he thought of their time together.

She gazed at her mission scroll and her heart ached. Five years was a long time to be gone and she needed to be with her friend. She sunk to her knees, reading over the details of her mission with diligence. Her hands began shaking as she realized that her freedom from the village meant being alone. Miyu feared that liberation, feared the possible changes that could befall those she cared for.

She shared her concerns with Iruka, who only gazed at her with that compassionate expression that melted her defenses. Miyu blushed, kicking herself for suddenly finding him attractive.

His parents had graciously allowed her to stay for a month. She was at ease knowing she would no longer put a domestic strain on them, but at the same time was uncertain about the future. Iruka's reassuring smile, however, made her believe that everything would be okay. He had stuck by her no matter what; the class clown turned prince charming. Well, at least when they were alone.

_Enough sap!_ she groaned to herself. It seemed so long ago that they were prepubescent and uninterested in anything aside from pranks. Perhaps, however, it was a testament to Iruka's maturity over time that she found him to be suitable company in her more serious moments. Of course, his loyalty warranted it, but he seemed to handle it with more finesse over the years.

"Miyu," he said, a warm smile on his face, "I'm right here. When you come back, I'll be a teacher like I always aspired to be. That's all that will change for me, and I'm sure it will be the same for everyone else."

"You'll make an excellent teacher," she smiled gently. "I'll be here for your graduation."

The two best friends grinned and made preparations for her extended mission. As she put away a medic kit, she was reminded of her late teammates and Rin. Miyu looked in the direction of the Uchiha compound and hoped for the best. It was unfortunate, but with her duty as a shinobi in the way, this was the most she could do.


	5. All That I Loved

**Chapter Five: All That I Loved**

He could not deny how happy he had been on those ephemeral nights with Miyu. He missed the happiness and the laughter, that youth which seemed to fade with an elongated sigh. For some time, he regarded his time with her as happier than the time he spent with his teammates. Obito realized that he was truly unwanted on the team in the first place. It was a painful realization, but it was the truth.

Rin helped him, yes, but it was out of duty, not out of caring. He began to reconsider his admiration of her, and her appearance had somehow become duller where Miyu's had become prettier. Kakashi was right when he brought it up that day. Rin only had eyes and smiles where Kakashi was involved, Obito being only a leftover piece she could talk to when Kakashi often refused. His expectations and fantasies provided him with most of the happiness with her, mere dreaming on his part.

Even with sensei, Obito recognized the disproportion between the attention given to him and Kakashi. He often told himself that it was because Kakashi advanced faster than he did, but in retrospect, he wondered if it was because the "elite" Uchiha was a failure. Somehow, he could no longer begrudge himself any degree of dependency on the girl who made him feel at least a bit worthwhile.

He stared at the letter she slipped into his room, taking in the apologies and words of encouragement. Of course, she could not articulate the details of her mission, but she did disclose that she would have to be gone for a long time. Her visits, she said, were going to be brief and she would try to see him if she could. The picture suddenly seemed complete, the space in front of him extending with the wind.

Uchiha Obito was alone.

His heart ached at the vastness that appeared before him. His family grew more and more disappointed in him, even going so far as to shun him when he was near. Before, he was rarely at the compound, only returning to sleep. Now, he was actively looking for a different place to live in lieu of their approval.

And there was more. He listed himself as inactive due to a state of emotional compromise-something he could not have done were he a common shinobi. Something was weighing harshly on his mind, making him feel like he was drifting further and further away from everyone. After Rin's suicide some weeks before, it became worse. Her former team was specifically asked not to attend her funeral services. Suddenly there seemed to be no obvious escape… but how could he escape himself?

Even in those hazy days, he found himself trailing to former meeting places to visit his vestiges. He knew there was no place for him on the team, anyway, but looking at the training ground and eating at the dango shop brought him back to those times when he thought he was happy. Today, that dango shop had been destroyed, though he had a specific memory from two weeks ago that seemed like a dream.

He met with his sensei, who joined the lonely chuunin for a snack. It was something unusually lonely. It was the first time he ate there since Rin committed suicide and since Kakashi was chosen to be in ANBU. Only Obito remained the failure. Minato smiled at him and sat down next to him, gripping his upper arm in that boyish way.

"Hi, Obito. How are you?" It was an asinine question, and he considered replying darkly only to reply with the traditional "fine, and you?" His sensei continued the conversation, regardless, talking about how Kushina appeared to be getting more and more restless as the delivery neared. For obvious reasons, he could not disclose the location, but his happy face made Obito sick.

Then Minato asked about Obito's plans for the future.

The Uchiha had come to resent this question; he had no plans, he had no purpose. He was weak and stupid, and he would always be that way. Without expressing more than, "I want to quit being a shinobi; I'm too weak," the conversation died. As usual, Minato did not want to leave it at that. He always fought uphill to make Obito stronger, only to fail each time. But he kept trying, though even Obito could see how futile that struggle was.

"You know, when I first met you, I was so proud... You immediately declared that you wanted to be an elite ninja, and you looked very sincere about that." He sat back in his chair, tapping his glass of water with his index finger. "I've always wanted to avoid telling you this, hoping that you might come to discover it on your own." He shifted and looked straight at him with his piercing, blue eyes, "There is no point in working hard if you don't believe in yourself. Back then, I met the real you. I think you really wanted to be among the strongest of the village-and you still do.

_"If you ever want to keep going, I'll be there to support you."_

Obito stared into the ruins of that booth they shared, the debris and smell of death draining that moment of its sweetness. It seemed so long ago at this point that it did not even matter. He kicked rubble into what remained of the building, and glared to the side of the village near the gates that had been crushed under the Kyuubi's might. His eyes trailed to his partially destroyed compound and the slums of the village, which had worsened in conditions.

Everyone had lost something, including him. He lost his parents, his sensei, and his spirit. What his sensei, the strongest Hokage in Konohagakure's history, had fixed from the war was made pieces once again. The Uchiha had all but disowned his miserable self, though Obito would not consider them foolish enough to support him for much longer.

He stared at Miyu's letter again, looking specifically at the words, "Please believe in yourself a little more. I want to see you again after my mission is done, so take care of yourself." Then his eyes trailed to the words, "You're stronger than you realize," and he crushed the letter in his palm.

She was wrong, sensei was wrong, everyone was wrong; he was not strong. The person he became was a disgrace, and he did not doubt that his parents died cursing his birth.

"Well, fuck them."

His dreams were buried with his sensei, and something changed in his eyes. He was no longer the innocent dumbass he had let himself become. He closed his eyes, tears trailing his cheeks. As he lowered his head, he froze his soul. It was his turn to offer a chrysanthemum and he left the flower, along with his hitai-ate, on his sensei's coffin.


	6. Passage

**Chapter Six: Passage**

Kosame Miyu was following a map to her new apartment, sporting her new clothes and recently fixed hair. Konohagakure no Sato had not changed too much since her departure, but it had changed enough that she did not know where she was going. She had visited various times on personal business, but had not returned permanently-until today, that is.

There was a new sector in the northeastern part of the village where she was going to live, one the government had so diffidently given to her. After five years of being on duty, she was definitely _not_ hearing their dumbass claims about not having enough money. If they always had money for wars, what about their shinobi and veterans?

She passed the Academy on the way, laughing as she recalled the various pranks herself and Iruka implemented throughout their school years. She paused for a moment to admire the invisible memories, stifling a giggle as she remembered Iruka's most memorable prank on Kakashi at the shuriken throwing practices.

As the Hatake prepared to show off his perfect aim, the shuriken set off and exploded into water, drenching him completely. Neither of them could contain their self-incriminating laughter. It was most memorable because the indignant Kakashi chased them until the teachers intervened and gave them all the punishment of cleaning up after class, for the remainder of the year.

She also remembered her dread when she noticed a ghost of a crush on Kakashi. After expressing her concerns to Iruka (who looked just as horrified), she challenged Kakashi to a match so she could defeat her crush on him. Of course, Kakashi had no use for wasting time and Miyu realized that her crush was not on Kakashi, but on Iruka.

"Oh, to be young and obnoxious." Miyu shook her head at her younger self, giggling. Darker memories began resurfacing, framed within a cold and lonely aperture. Inhaling to stifle these feelings, she left.

It appeared that no one recognized her. As she roamed aimlessly, afraid to ask questions, she was met with smiles and approving-sometimes flirtatious-glances. She was not used to that, but it seemed being slightly more attractive than before gave her a degree of leverage.

"Excuse me," she asked a chuunin patrolman, "would you please tell me where this area is? I'm a bit lost." With a weird wiggle of his eyebrows, he told her. She tried really hard not to laugh, though as soon as she turned the directed corner, she could not help but snort and fall into that strange school-girl laugh.

It reminded her of her old companion, to whom that laugh was unique. She smiled, trying to imagine how he had changed since they last saw each other. Admittedly, she wanted to hide herself with baggier clothing like back then, but she figured this might be a welcomed change for him. She had sent him letters during the five years she was gone, hoping to assure him she was alive and would return. After securing her things and assuring the apartment met all of her specific standards, she headed toward the Uchiha compound.

She had her own reservations about visiting that cloud of superiority complexes, whose sole goal was to have more and more possessions and possess other things… But Obito was different. She was eager to flow into their fun conversations like they had, to experience that strange sense of acceptance again. Upon arrival, she asked where he was, only to be met with the following answer:

"Good lord, _another_ one? We'll have to tell that boy to stop flinging his name around."

What was that supposed to mean? She left, feeling more uncomfortable than ever. She never liked the Uchiha anyway, but had Obito changed? She was concerned, wondering why she agreed to the mission in the first place. She would have preferred being with Obito as opposed to the dumbasses she had to abide.

As she stepped out of the compound, she saw someone who looked vaguely familiar…

Uchiha Obito was probably the very antithesis of what he ever wanted to be, but he was not complaining now. At 18-going-on-19, he had made a name for himself as the Uchiha Player. He found that his name seemed to inspire respect and admiration, particularly among the beautiful (though admittedly stupid) women. His cool new outfit was less goofy than the one in his youth, and he appeared powerful as he strolled down the street with a harem of women cooing for his attention.

As she saw him near the compound, Miyu fought the urge to puke.

He seemed startled as he recognized her and it made her uncomfortable the way he was obviously ogling her. Obito, of course, was _not_ uncomfortable, and he very much liked what he saw. She had not really grown taller, but her hips had rounded and her breasts were a decent size. Her hair had changed and was visibly better managed than before. She was like an Eastern daughter of an aristocrat, chin held high and an expression of having recently smelled something horrendous.

She forced her mouth into a smile, waving to him. She wanted to at least say hello, but the change shocked her too much. _Okay, he's changed; so have you. He's probably the same old dork. _That thought relaxed her and she raced up to him as he shooed the harem away. Usually their embraces would carry something a tad deeper than what was obvious-a certain sense of belonging. In their shared embrace today, she sensed nothing. She shook those thoughts out of her as he spun her, forcing her to grab onto him a bit tighter to keep from slipping.

She was a bit dizzy, but laughed, "Wow. You've gotten _really_ tall." Before, she was the one taller than him; he was taller than her by a good six or seven inches. She focused her attention to his outfit, scrutinizing it, "You don't look like yourself. And your hair," she reached up and tousled it, "longer? That's neat."

He adjusted his goggles, smiling down to her, "Your hair looks gorgeous. Did you get a boyfriend to dress up for?"

"Nah, I just discovered conditioner and salons." She snorted, smiling nervously. Well, he _was_ handsome, though her first sight of him tarnished that more than she liked. "So, uh, what's with the daft bimbos?"

Obito glanced behind him momentarily and shrugged, "Just some groupies." Miyu became aware of him trailing his fingers down her arm before grabbing her hands. "I've dated 12 women thus far," he moved uncomfortably close, "how would you like to be unlucky number 13?"

"Uh, is that… supposed to be a pick-up line?" What he said was so absurd, she wondered if it was a joke and tried to play along. "I've dated five guys thus far and I don't want you to be number six?" Fail. As he drew closer she jumped back with a nervous grin, "Heyyy there, woah! Uhm, you seem… _very_ confident. I'm glad. Anyway, I gotta go see some kids, so uh, I'll see you later!" She saluted him, though it was obvious she had no intention of seeing him again anytime soon.

He started calling after her and ran behind her. Miyu wanted to disappear right away, but she wanted to see Obito-the real him. As she turned, she did not find herself in front of Obito, but Hatake Kakashi. She was suddenly thankful, as the jounin provided her a wall between herself and Obito.

"Yo!" he greeted; it became obvious being a wall was just his intention as he widened his eyes, indicating the Uchiha behind him. "Finally back permanently? I'll accompany you to the orphanage." Suspicious as she was, she breathed a "thank you" and both of them disappeared in a burst of smoke.

Whatever rancor they held with each other before seemed to dissipate. He seemed more human as he expressed concern and disappointment. "I see you've met the new Obito. Well," he reconsidered, "you were his friend. It was unavoidable. Like what you see?"

"_Like_? Is it even possible to like someone like that?" she made choking noises, crinkling her nose. "What happened to _Obito_?"

"He changed." It was a simple, yet heartbreaking answer. Yes, he had changed, _a lot_. She sighed, staring sadly at the ground as something tugged at her. Miyu wanted that to be part of her imagination, wanted it to be left unconfirmed. Still, it was a reality she needed to face. "He quit being a shinobi," he said as she turned to him sharply, "and he's turned into a manwhore."

"I would normally laugh that someone like you would say something like that, were I not so disappointed." She pursed her lips, remembering the grinning fool she admired so long ago. "He's 18 now, right? He can still…"

"I know it's none of my business," he said with a hard look, "but I figured you should know. I think you noticed he's changed quite a bit, beyond the superficial. He's explicitly told me he refuses to visit sensei and Rin's graves." Obito was like that? No; not the Obito she knew, anyway. "To be fair, I have visited sensei and Rin's graves, but I haven't visited Obito. I can't apologize to a stranger. He's changed too much, I guess."

She was disappointed for Obito, but she smiled at her old scratching post, "Well, not all changes are bad? You've changed, too."

"He changed me," he shrugged. "What he said was true. But I wonder where that person has gone… Anyway…"

They arrived at the orphanage and bid farewell. Times sure changed.

After her visit, she needed quick directions home. She remembered the barbeque bar her sensei frequented and stopped by to ask the familiar owner directions. On her way out, she spotted Obito at the bar, drunk out of his senses, with the usual harem of bimbos surrounding him. Unfortunately, he spotted her as well and called out to her.

But she was disgusted beyond her will. She could not reconcile that untainted boy with the heart bleeding compassion with this graceless whore who disrespected her with those wolf whistles. She felt like crying, but there was no point.

"I don't have time for people who have time to be stupid. Excuse me."

At home, she summoned Kakashi and shared the marble pie she made. She intended to share this with an old friend, but it seemed like it was impossible at this point. She handed him his plate and a plastic spoon carefully, giving him a half-smile as she sat cross from him at her small table. She sighed audibly and chuckled darkly, "Well, this was unexpected. You're right; he's positively disgusting."

"Your words, not mine," he said, sliding his mask down to eat.

"His advances were so… _degrading_! When did he become so arrogant? I never saw a _hint_ of that before!" Despite the conversation, both of them savored their treat. Kakashi was worried about his former teammate, but he was not foolish enough to impose his opinion upon Obito.

"Well, he seemed very impressed with you," he offered. Miyu rolled her eyes.

"The feeling's not mutual." She became more visibly frustrated, even tearing a bit, "I expected so much better of him! He was so cool before." Kakashi wanted to laugh at that; the old Obito was anything _but_ cool. "It… kind of hurts, you know? I figured there would be at least one decent person in the village besides Iruka." She became quiet for a while, and looked up to him with a small smile, "And Minato… But it's just you two left… Well, I'm glad you've gotten better."

It occurred to Kakashi that they were much closer than he thought. He was aware that they talked quite a bit, but Miyu indicated a sort of trust that not many people held in each other. Regardless, he felt he needed to assure her. "Watching my old teammate make bad choices has given me a reality check. Though I can't say I like this, I just want to be there for him and hope he asks for help."

She remembered giving Obito that exact same advice. Against her own expectations, she had invested many hopes in him. He had a lot of potential, and was genuinely better than he gave himself credit for. Though their time together was short, it seemed that both of them were looking for something in common. Nonetheless, it was clear that he had probably changed beyond redemption.


	7. The Lucky One

**Chapter Seven: The Lucky One**

For whatever reason, he still kept the lyric translations to the play. In retrospect, he seemed to be able to recall more details, such as the story being that of a gypsy, an outcast of society, who was used as a scapegoat. She was caught in a rather nasty love square, and had to decide between: the disfigured, outcast man with a beautiful heart, an upright, old man with a beautiful mind, and a high-ranking captain with a beautiful face.

It would be obvious to anyone that she would choose the idiot with the beautiful face. The moral of the story was that she lost something special by not choosing the beautiful heart. His loyalty was so great to her that when the gypsy died, he jumped into the grave with her saying that dying for her was not death.

Obito thought on his, chewing on his bottom lip as he gazed at himself in the mirror. He certainly was not high-ranking by any stretch of the imagination, but did he have a beautiful face? A beautiful heart or mind? Of the three, he would have to choose the face. He considered Miyu's rather evasive reaction, realizing that she did not find him attractive enough to stay even five minutes with him. What was up with that?

Given, her character was a rather naïve young girl, mistreated her entire life so she could not know much better. Regardless, she chose the man who looked good, right? So Miyu would obviously have to choose him at some point. Then he continued thinking, wondering if Kakashi was the "beautiful mind" guy. In the story, she did not really regard him twice. Still, he was some sort of competition, and indeed, Kakashi had a better career than he did.

"Comparing real life to a play is completely asinine," he sung to himself quietly. It gave him something to think about at least, so he continued.

Who would be the "beautiful heart?"

Kakashi had stayed the night at Miyu's place, their conversation somehow ending in the early hours of the morning. Because Kakashi had a mission in the morning, Miyu thought it best that she have a guest (however unexpected) for her first night at her new home. He had been apprehensive about it, but Miyu added that she did not want Obito to suddenly appear and be all alone. She freshened up and walked out of the building, Kakashi by her side. It still took a bit of remembering to understand why she was getting along with him.

Her heart dropped when she saw Obito waiting for her; he did not look too happy either. "…Alright, explain." She was annoyed and told him that she owed him no explanation. Considering the rather innocent sleepover, it was not worth explaining either. But he was not commanding her; it was directed at Kakashi.

"Oi, oi, I am _not_ getting involved in the drama, alright?" the white-haired shinobi announced. "Nothing happened." That fueled his anger and he stalked forward. This jealous aggression held no explanation or reason; after being sufficiently annoyed, Miyu blew him back with a wind chakra technique. She felt like throwing up again as female coos and screams reminded her of how far Obito had fallen from grace.

"Just _listen_ to yourself!" she cried. "I can't believe you're that boy I used to admire!" After a second or so, she turned to her companion, "Kakashi, could you accompany me to the orphanage one last time?" He thankfully agreed-for the last time, he said. The last thing he wanted was a (more) volatile relationship with Obito. It was an unwarranted worry. Even her own evasions were something she never wanted. Even so, she cheered up a little bit as she entered the Konoha Orphanage.

Not surprisingly, Obito was waiting for her as she left. His past self and present self confused her momentarily as he swooped her in his arms and told her how much he missed her. This was a welcome change and she reveled in the embrace… before he began doing something rather intimate-feeling to her neck.

"Oh, gawd!" she wailed, pushing him away from her. Something in her had broken, and as tears streaked down her face, she sent a punch into _his_. "You know something? I've had it. You're completely… _disgusting_." He watched as she cried for him, gingerly rubbing the sore spot where she punched him. "You know why I'm here?" she said, sweeping her arm behind her at the orphanage. "Did you even _think_ to know why? And I don't want to yell at you, but I _wanted you to be a part of this_!"

Whatever sobs might have followed were stifled and hidden away. A dormant part of him was quietly awakening and creeping into his consciousness. He stepped toward her carefully, as though sudden movements would scare her off… though they probably would. She looked passive now, "If you can stop being disgusting for four hours, would you mind helping?" With a dawning sense of shame, he agreed.

She wanted him to be a part of her adoption of three boys in the orphanage. Rather, she wanted him to be a part of the adoption as a best friend. Normally, he would find this sort of commitment disgusting and a turnoff, which he did, but he hid it as she prepared three separate bedrooms for the boys.

"They're probably all familiar to you: Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto." That surprised him; he remembered his cousins, and as for the name "Naruto," he recalled sensei and Kushina bragging about naming their kid after a hero in some story with that name. The memory of his sensei seemed to send him in a gush of cold water. These were old thoughts he had long locked away.

Then he realized with some regret that these boys were her "beautiful hearts," and she had chosen them.

"I thought you didn't want to be a mother?"

That made her pause and look at him briefly, throwing a sheet over a futon. He realized how beautiful she had become, a twinge of nostalgia tugging at his heartstrings. She returned to her focus to the room, "Yeah, well… given your frivolity, I'm not sure if I should explain it to you. It's clear to me you just want to sleep with me." Given their previous nature together, though he was initiating these suggestive touches, it made him pause. A bit of that old respect was starting to surface, but he was cautious as to whether he should let it out.

She admired her work, the rooms bright with shuriken practice stations and books, along with drawers filled with clothing. Their shoulders touched, making them both jump away. Though she hated the new Obito, if he was being apprehensive to touch her, she could relax a bit. Given the reaction, she indulged him with a bit of information, "They call me 'nee-chan.'"

"Is this… a sure thing?"

"Well, yes. I just have to wait for approval." She smacked herself mentally for elaborating. This Obito did not care. He only nodded with a thoughtful frown, making her nervous about what he would do next. But she was sick of being afraid of him.

"Look, Obito… Now that you know this, I'm sure this, uh, _new you_ will have some reservations on hanging around me. I came back, wanting to see that boy I left…" something about that made her sad. He caught it and his mind would not let it go. "I didn't want to go, I sincerely didn't… but I come back and you're a complete idiot." She looked at him sternly, hands on her hips, "I'm not one of your bimbos, alright? So… think on that for a week. If you still want to be friends, come back. If not," that word made them both feel something painful in their chests, "… I understand, I guess."

That night, he thought on all of what happened. No, this was not the elation he felt before; he was not disappointed that he was not able to "score" with her as he had with others. Somehow, a part of him was thankful for that. Focusing there, he still regarded Miyu as indispensable. It appeared that she even missed his old self. _Actually, she flat out said it._

He watched his clan as they headed toward the Naka Shrine for their meetings. Who, among everyone, could know which part of him was the best? There was himself, naturally, but among his few companions, who could best say what was his best side? He wanted to say his clan, sensei, Rin, and Kakashi, but he had long ago established that their time together was hardly productive.

In truth, Miyu was the one with the most influence. Though their time together was short, she respected him, though did that necessarily indicate that she knew what was best for him? His feelings? He could not deny that his heart sometimes beat faster for her, something the other girls could never hope to inspire. He closed his eyes, indulging himself in another fantasy. Unlike his most recent ones, this one hoped to mend their friendship…


	8. Regression

**Chapter Eight: Regression**

She was surprised to see him return a week later, though she was apprehensive to talk to him at all. Did this mean he was going to become the Obito she knew again? They stood before each other for a while, no words uttered for an unknown amount of time. The silence seemed too heavy with unuttered words and explanations, their eyes telling silent stories as their mouths remained firmly closed. Obito moved to speak, but was suddenly bumped against the wall, Miyu's arms thrown around his neck.

Her appearance was beyond the beauty that he thought possible for her, though he had seen more attractive women. He wanted to laugh as he realized how short she was. She was equal in height before, though much stronger. As he returned the embrace he carefully noted the deepened curve to her back, and he saddened. It had been far too long; he wanted that lost time back to see her grow.

In her mind, she also realized the height difference, having to nearly stand on her toes to be able to embrace him this way. He smelled rather sweet for a boy as well; kind of sugary. She let herself laugh, releasing him and sliding her hands on his broadened shoulders. She was visibly a mix of surprise and confusion, "What the hell? When did you become a man?"

Despite themselves, they both fell into a state of laugher, Miyu noting with bliss that her unique laugh for Obito returned. Before, he noted her initial laugh with him to be a bit airy and empty. The laugh he was familiar with was a mix of chortling and light snorting. He remembered being struck by it as weird in the beginning, but quickly grew to like it. The nostalgia was definitely a huge part of this meeting, and that feeling of never wanting to leave snuck back soundly into his mind.

He felt ashamed for his previous behavior because Miyu was _not_ one of his harlots. It was clear that even after he froze his soul, he still had a place for the girl who accepted him without reservations. Though he was uncomfortable with the notion of being vulnerable to anyone, a part of him wanted to surrender to the girl before him. He held her tighter, unable to find the words to explain himself.

She became serious, though her stern expression held gentleness, "I know that behind that arrogant demeanor and that naughty smirk is that same, unconfident, _kind_ boy. Today, you aren't the person that I knew. Did the Kyuubi kill you along with the Hokage?"

The question sent a burst of pain into his body. He shifted uncomfortably, her hands still placed gently on his shoulders. She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, "Put your defenses down. Everyone with eyes can see that even you don't like being this way." She looked at him, his face in her hands. "Let's try to dig a little deeper, alright? What happened these past three years?"

He explained in small detail how his family and sensei were killed during the Kyuubi attack, and how Rin had committed suicide a few weeks earlier. He did not sound particularly worried about it, though Miyu sadly understood what he was trying to do. He felt disgusted at himself, wanting to tell her so much more… but he had to keep his guard. She watched him sound nonchalant about becoming "frivolous" over the years, "And hey? What man could resist the love and attention of females?"

She quirked her lower lid, "I… don't think that's the story. You want acceptance and love, but those women will be the first to leave you in times of real trouble. How well do you really know them?" He started to argue about how well _she_ knew him, but she quickly snapped, "_I'm still here, aren't I_?"

He felt himself tear up and attempted to stifle it with an intense frown. After a while, he finally said, "I screwed up." He did, but it was not something he could help. Miyu understood how loneliness could warp the mind and possess the body. Depression was a peculiar, powerful disease, but she had confidence that Obito could overcome it. He was a strong person.

"You're trying to drown the pain of losing your sensei, your family, and your teammate with frivolous behavior." She smiled, seeing right through him. Her hands slipped to the back of his neck, wiping away a tear with her thumb. "Look, I'm not going to speak to this Obito, or accept him. When the nice Obito comes back, I'll be there."

"My former self was a weakling!" he snapped, making her jump. "Don't deny that. No one liked him or respected him. No one acknowledged him-"

"_I did_!" She hated yelling, but she also hated the new Obito. "Don't talk about him like that." She had to be lying; the crybaby shinobi he used to be was a pathetic emblem of his worthless existence. The fact that she looked sincere made him uncertain, but he began to hate the girl that liked his former self. "I thought he was insecure, yes; weak, maybe... but he was a nice person. I appreciated that he talked to me when I had no one else, and to top it all off, he never quit. To me, that's a true test of character."

She moved away from him; against his own reservations, he reached out to her weakly. "Do you honestly believe that strength is the only mark of a good shinobi? Strength is expendable and can be defeated. Strength has no heart… But if you insist on holding yourself to that standard, if you promise to behave yourself, I promise to help you train."

He looked stubbornly to the side, the essence of his old self finally coming through. "I don't want help."

"Neither did Tonbo or Asuka. Neither did Rin." At the mention of his old love interest, his coal eyes turned to her coldly. "But you _need_ it, right?... It's up to you, anyway." She reached out to his hand and squeezed it lightly. As he left, the pressure of her hand against his resonated like echoes.

It was a foreign thought to him. Though he had slept with plenty of women, something as simple as holding hands never struck him. That contact with Miyu was simply electrifying. The differences between her and the expendable women in his life made him realize that he needed to take a different path. Miyu had already lain out that she would not befriend him as he was now.

That stuck in his mind. Even messing around with other women could not compare to the happiness Miyu gave him. What was more, he could not bring himself to treat her like the others. He felt embarrassed for his initial behavior, even kicking himself for even _looking_ at her like the others. An old smile returned to him.

He would take the training.

There was one last thing he needed to do, and he took a familiar route before arriving. He walked past the Academy remembering his daily struggle with proving himself. The favored dango shop no longer existed, in its place an inn with a plaque on the corner listing the lives lost. The training field was empty, seeming to prepare for a long night of rest in the dimming afternoon sun.

As he stood before the memorial stone, he began to think again; he did not silence the thoughts. Because of his own compromised emotional state, he began to wonder about the increase of suicides. Could the number of casualties in the Kyuubi attack have been a direct result of the war? He understood the sense of hopelessness, the sense of how worthless his life was.

He remembered when Rin quit her career, and when he claimed himself emotionally compromised. Were they not students of Konoha's hero, and were he not an Uchiha, they would have had a much more difficult time than other shinobi. Even then, therapists for shinobi with depression and PTSD were not available without connections. They were left to the clemency of their own, infected minds.

If Rin had those resources available for free-for her service-she might have made it. If the shinobi who lost their lives in that attack five years before had those resources, perhaps his sensei might have had a chance. If greed did not rule the resources, maybe stability would return to the citizens of Konohagakure no Sato.

He would take the different path, though he was scared of being in someone else's hands. Even if he wanted to be independent, the fact was that he was too emotionally weak to stand on his own. He would take the help in the name of his former teammate and Hokage.


	9. Everything You Ever

**Chapter Nine: Everything You Ever**

He clearly remembered her attending the Academy. As he perused through the yearbooks, he realized that the reason he and Miyu were not together was because she was taking the most advanced classes with Kakashi while he was taking the most basic. He found a picture of the graduates with the list of names in the white bar underneath, but her name was not there. He would have excused it as a simple mistake, were it not for her name being virtually gone from the entire book. She seemed omitted in the list of graduates in the back, though she was at the graduation ceremony. He also found her in only one yearbook, and not in the years he attended before.

Though it was clearly questionable, he had to smile at her frizzy hair. It was so funny, looking at the pictures and laughing at how dorky the both of them looked. He burst into laughter at one of her less graceful shots-one where she was on the verge of sneezing. She might have been strong, but she was not photogenic.

He remembered he saw a girl, one of those in-your-face types with hoop earrings though they were clearly inappropriate for training… He remembered a particular instance in which she wrote the "Kosame Miyu is a whore" on the board. For whatever reason, he recalled that as being a very common association with her. Of course, whatever he did remember was very fuzzy. He was focused on Rin most of the time.

He knew she was not. Well, he did not know, but he was very sure Miyu was not that type of girl. She had many opportunities to do intimate things with him, though that night she spent with Kakashi still tugged at him. Perhaps she only did things with elite shinobi? But there was not even a hint of harlotry in her. He shook those thoughts out of his head; Miyu deserved more respect than that.

A part of him insisted on thinking about it, but he remembered her proximity to _himself_ versus her proximity to Kakashi. He smiled, remembering the physical contact as he slid his hands over the parts she held him. It appeared they had something much closer, anyway. He hoped to run his fingers through her hair if he could. He still held his reservations on giving her his trust, though he honestly had no reason to distrust her.

He just did not want to let go of his defenses.

Observing her whereabouts from the previous days, she would be at the orphanage. Obito headed there first, debating about what to say. A new emotion started bubbling in his core; a strange mix of doubt, fear, and hopelessness. As former flames and groupies came, he told them to leave him alone. Luckily, his dwindling appearances with them made them less and less attached. Admittedly, he wanted to waste a few minutes, but there were more important things than groping and sucking face.

He saw her talking to the head of the orphanage adoption staff, looking rather upset. The door was open, though, and he walked into the office carefully to join her. She acknowledged him with a nod and small smile, though she returned her gaze to the agent with an unsettling expression. To anyone else, she would appear passive; with his years knowing her (and having seen her exchange with Kakashi), Obito saw the slight red tinge on her cheeks that indicated her deep-seated anger.

"With all due respect, if I meet all of the requirements, there is no good reason to keep me from adopting these kids."

The agent was the emblem of a corrupt bureaucrat, complete with the pale blonde hair crowning his head and large gut. Obito gulped a bit, clearly seeing the large bundles of money and special interests that this person was serving. He smiled widely, extending an arm as though to show the evidence of her denial, "It's nothing personal, Kosame-san. You met the requirements, you are, eh, _sound_ of mind… However, we do have some reservations, including your unemployment and your, eh, _background_."

Background? What did he mean by that? A clearly agitated and insulted Miyu squeezed his hand, making him flinch. The agent asked who he was, and with a sense of pride, she answered, "Uchiha Obito." That seemed to draw the bureaucrat back, though Miyu was not finished with him yet. "My _background_, huh? I didn't know orphaned children were held responsible for the parents who abandoned them. Who's worse: my mother, who abandoned me in the streets, or you, who won't grant these children a second chance at family?"

He began to explain, as though he could find any legitimate reason to deny her adoption. "I _understand_ what these kids are going through" she insisted. "With my services as a shinobi, I have earned more than enough to be able to provide for them for at _least_ five years."

"Shinobi _services_, I see. Your, uh, _earnings_, I'm afraid… are not recognized under the legal definition of pay. If you don't mind, Kosame-san, it might be best if you just, eh, _gave up_ on the whole ordeal. Your background would make it impossible anyway."

There was that snide implication of prostitution again. Obito could no longer pretend they were just trying to insult her; it was almost blatant that they thought she was selling herself. Her hand was still in his, something that somehow reassured him of her innocence.

"You know what disgusts me about this whole charade, Iwa-san? Your complete _ignorance_ and _hypocrisy_. I could go on and I could threaten you with a fate beyond your worst nightmare. Given the order, it would give me great pleasure to execute your kind with my bare hands… Maybe you should look into my occupation, actually. I'm sure Sandaime Hokage-sama will be interested to hear about our little _exchange_. But don't worry, I'll inform him right away."

As scary as it was, that assertiveness was a bit attractive to the Uchiha. He squeezed her hand lightly before she left and marched out of the building, little voices calling out behind her. She called back that she would return soon. Sure enough, he looked briefly to the source of the voices to find his cousins and a blonde child with blue eyes look on worriedly. Having finally seen what she was fighting for, Obito began to understand.

He had to do something. He said he would join her in her audience with the Hokage.

He had no idea that she was an orphan, though it seemed more obvious in retrospect. She never mentioned a family, and upon further thought, she did not mention many friends either. Her vagrant appearance should have been indicative enough. How alone she must have been…

He understood loneliness to some degree: a painful emotion that felt like it was ripping the body in half. The pain and grief become so great your body wishes and prepares for death. To have Miyu go through that at all was an outrage. The very least he could do was be at her side when she needed him.

In their audience with the Hokage the next day, Obito was ready to slam him. He had already prepared a speech about how corrupt his stupid government was, working for the money rather than the care of its warriors. Upon arrival, though, he immediately swallowed his words. The Hokage was very old, beyond his service. He should have been enjoying the remainder of his life elsewhere rather than have to return with the death of Konoha's greatest hero. Pity consumed him and he no longer knew what to say.

His aged smile reached them both, dampening any efforts to stay angry. "How may I help you, Miyu-chan?" Obito looked confused, but he knew that the Hokage knew everyone since childhood. It should not have surprised him that he knew Miyu as well. His tired eyes fell upon Obito, "I see you brought Uchiha Obito along. I take it he's a-"

"No, Hokage-sama. He's merely here as support." It took him a bit to notice, but taking everything in, she stood like one of the elite shinobi of the village, so full of confidence, patriotism, and strength. It was the same one Kakashi often took in front of authority. Though he was puzzled, it was probably nothing. He could only admire how lovely she was, the embodiment of the will of fire.

"Hokage-sama, you know as well as I do that I could easily provide for those children without issue. I have met all of the other requirements sans employment, which with my savings should not be an issue for many years to come. They keep mentioning my _background_, interestingly enough."

The Hokage shifted in his chair, his old joints moving with a few light pops as he stood. "That is regrettable. Miyu-chan, I'm afraid that is beyond my authority. The Hokage is not as powerful as many would like." That was it; he could not take it anymore.

"Hokage-sama, with all due respect," Obito began, a clear tone of indignity, "Miyu is perfectly qualified. The agent, Iwa-san, was very clear that she was qualified… but because of something, they are violating her right to adopt those children, and their right to a happy home." Maybe he spoke too much, but he did not care. Miyu wanted to cry at his defense, thankful beyond words as she looked at his sincere presentation. "They are quite obviously not going to yield to the law. The people who hired Iwa-san are the very business owners of the Agency of Orphanages and Adoption. This is _not_ the Konoha I know."

"All three of us could easily file complaints, Uchiha-san," the Hokage began, noticing Miyu's uncomfortable shift. "I'm afraid there is nothing any of us can do. I understand it is clearly discrimination and Miyu-chan has no fault in this. Unfortunately, there is still a stigma in society, and even if she has no part in it… She'll still be blamed for it.

"I can't intervene and impose my own judgments, as much as I want to. That would be the very mark of a corrupt executive government... but I can ask the Council to consider making a few legislative changes to their way of running things in the Orphanage. A little reform never hurt anyone, right?"

Obito never imagined he would be jealous of an old man, but Miyu's big smile and running embrace certainly cut it. He wanted to make her happy like that, if he ever could. He realized the new route his train of thoughts had taken; he quietly dampened them. It was still too soon to trust her… not that he listened to himself very much.

He walked her home in silence, cursing himself for not saying something encouraging. She looked less worried than before, but the ghost of distress reigned her façade. As they arrived, he forced himself to talk, "Miyu," she turned to him. "… I'll help you with the children… And if it's alright with you, we can start training tomorrow." She looked at him blankly for a bit and then offered him a small smile. As she nodded, he nervously walked to her and embraced her.

There were several physical things he liked about having her in his arms (not limited to her smell and the push of her breasts against his chest), but it was somehow different this time. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist. She sighed lightly as he let go and held his face; something inside of him felt like it dropped over a cliff as she kissed his cheek. "Thank you for being there with me, and thank you for defending me like you did... You're a good friend." She patted him on the shoulder and ascended the stairs into her abode.

He returned home in a very different kind of haze and stared stupidly at himself in the mirror, as if searching for proof of the kiss. He had been kissed before many, many times. He kicked himself for making such a big deal out of this one.

But it _was_ a big deal because it was Miyu, not the flirtatious girls he chased after on his free time. He hated going in circles over the same subject, but he resolved not to trust her until he knew for sure he could. But then there came a different subject on the girl…

She did not want to become a mother, yet she was going to invest her future in the future of those children. It made no sense, considering he was having the time of his life without responsibilities (many asterisks in that). It was a brave thing, though; very selfless. She was trying to right the wrongs of the village by taking responsibility of the innocent ones who lost everything. Whatever her past, it was clear that Miyu was not the worst person in the village by any stretch of the imagination. Those strange accusations of prostitution had no foundation, either.

From his roof, he could see the Hokage Mountain, the face of his sensei watching eternally over the village as it grew and rotted. He smiled for a bit, understanding that only a person who did not want power could execute such a position marvelously. If a person seeks an occupation with the objective of obtaining power, they would be corrupted, whereas if a person takes a job only because they knew their leadership was necessary, they would be able to do immeasurable good.

He closed his eyes, wondering what he could do to make life better in Konoha, and especially in his best friend's life.


	10. Today I Am

**Chapter Ten: Today I Am**

Miyu took special care of her hair, making sure that its soft, natty texture remained. During missions, she was happy to find that her particular look earned her attention. With her objective to collect information, she was able to successfully deceive many key figures. Though she knew she was not the most beautiful in the village, her "think I am, though I am not" strategy always garnered her success.

In the past, she did not care about her appearance as much. Truthfully, it was not a priority even now. As she looked in the mirror, she carefully considered the differences between her present and past selves. Surely, her former self would scorn the idea of adoption of an Uchiha, let alone _two_. She had very good reason. It was only right that she took responsibility, since she was able to at this point.

At times, she remembered another part of herself, one she overcame forcefully so that she could help Obito. She stared passively at her reflection as she remembered the weight of the world, the stigma and the alienation. It took a lot not to become bitter, and especially after the deaths of her teammates, not to end her life. As pathetic as it was, she placed all of her hopes for the future in Obito.

Coming back, she was crushed to find that he had changed; that was obvious. What was not obvious was that she had overcome her suicidal depression to help him. She could not bear being even slightly compromised if it meant being a better friend. With that dramatic change, she was severely hurt and she wondered if she even gained anything by overcoming the depression at all... Over the years, she struggled a lot to keep being hopeful, to fight back against what she had known all her life.

She wanted to keep hoping, to keep believing in him. When he stayed by her yesterday, it told her that some part of him was still around and that some part of him was greater than she anticipated. Still, her heart was heavy whenever she saw the changes. She was so hurt that she withdrew herself, only to find that, despite her better judgment, she had made herself vulnerable to him. Did she gain anything from trusting him?

"I'm so stupid," she whispered, hanging her head as she cried. It honestly hurt to trust him, it hurt to "betray" herself by trusting an Uchiha of all people… but she wanted to. It was the stupidest paradox of her being. As she hid her feelings once more, she could not decide what hurt more: trusting Obito; not wanting to trust him, or hiding her feelings. Her mind started to ache as she headed out to the orphanage, forcing several images into her head and feelings into her core.

The last time she ever saw her mother was on that night. After so many taunts, pain, and abuse, that naïve child she was still reached out to her, still hoped that she would not let that stranger take her. "Kaa-chan!" she cried, only to have the mother sneer back at her. If it had to be that way, her younger self thought, she wanted to give that mother a hug goodbye. Despite everything…

She found Obito there and forced a smile. As he greeted her quietly, she considered him carefully before fully immersing herself in his surprisingly contagious personality. She was a bit reserved now, trying to find a compromise between her personality with Obito and her personality with her "brothers."

One thing could not be helped, though. The Orphanage, upon civil order of the Hokage, instructed them to allow five hours of activity with the children and herself outside of the Orphanage. This was a luxury they had previously denied to her, and she was very pleased. She jumped into Obito's arms happily and squealed, jumping up and down several times. To Obito, who had never seen her this excited, it was hilarious. She quickly took him by the arm to the children and they left to her home.

The blush spread across his face only deepened as he remembered their discussion at the door. Though he had been in her home twice, it was particularly special to have been invited to train with them. It sort of gave him a feeling of triumph inside, before he shut it down. Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto were all _very_ aware of his presence. Though Itachi and Sasuke kept their decorum, Naruto had no qualms over expressing his dislike of the older Uchiha's presence.

"Ano-sa! Ano-sa! Miyu-nee-chan," he _whispered_, very loudly, "who's the weird guy with the goggles?" Miyu could not help but snort as Naruto frowned at the stranger, looking particularly aggressive. It made Obito frown as he fought to stifle some physical discipline. Naruto figured he would drive the point home by attempting to stare him down, "Oi, teme! I don't like your attitude! I think you aren't a good person for Miyu-nee-chan!"

"Admittedly, Iruka-sensei is more pleasant, Miyu-nee," Sasuke added thoughtfully. Itachi laughed quietly, Miyu pulling the oldest Uchiha brother closer to her by the shoulder. They were not classless, but they were amusing.

"I have to agree with Sasuke," Itachi smiled. "Iruka-san gives us candies." Obito was boiling over at this point, his frown at a category 5. He decided he hated kids, especially ones that suggested Miyu dating someone besides himself. "Not to mention he has manners. My cousin has yet to introduce himself, and worse yet, he never visited us in the orphanage."

"Damn, Obito," Miyu grinned back at him, "looks like my brothers don't approve. Should we leave him out of our training today?" That was a playful suggestion, but Obito regarded it as particularly hurtful. He was never good at introducing himself, even if he knew most of the people there. Dark thoughts started pushing at him from the crevices of his mind; he fought hard to keep them back.

"We can bring him along," Naruto said with a tone of authority, "but he had better not disrespect our family! I'll beat him down!" Obito thought he should shut his big mouth or _he_ would beat the little brat down. Upon arrival, Miyu showed them their respective rooms, shouts of delight flooding the house. It amused Obito slightly, but he had to keep fighting the darkness of his thoughts.

Despite the unproductive introduction, they went to work right away. Obito was still a bit sore over her insensitivity, but their warm-up burned that frustration. Remarkably, the younger Uchiha boys were all extremely talented. The Uzumaki was more like himself; sloppy but getting there. Miyu had a habit all but Itachi openly hated. Whenever they argued with her, she would kiss their foreheads and give them hugs. Obito had to laugh at Sasuke and Naruto's displeased expressions and objections to her affectionate habit.

With envy, he noted Itachi's extreme talent. It was horrifying to see how well he kept up with Miyu in their grappling, and worst of all, he had mastered his Sharingan. Obito had yet to activate his. It was a rather depressing experience and he felt himself become more and more depressed, even if Itachi had yielded in the end.

Sasuke was obviously trying to catch up with his brother, being clumsy and careless with his footing. He tripped and did some damage to his nose, to which Miyu raced over to heal. Itachi had also moved to care for his brother, but it appeared that he acknowledged her as a figure he could trust. Obito started a small conversation with his cousin, though bitter with envy.

"So how long have you guys known Miyu?"

He calmly looked at him before returning his attention to his brother's fight, "For three years now." For his perfect posture, Obito had to wonder how often Itachi's father had beaten discipline into him. He tried to loosen up slightly, grinning weakly.

"And do you like her as a mother-figure?"

"She's too young to be our mother; hence why we call her 'Miyu-nee-chan.' If you want our opinions, I believe she is a strong, worthy person. If I seem hesitant today it is because this is our first time together outside the orphanage."

"… Of course." _Is that kid for real? _He never heard anyone his age talk like that. "My real question is how you like her compared to your biological family? I lost mine in the attack as well, so I'm just curious how you all have been faring…"

Itachi was not adept at conversation either, visibly shrinking away from him as he focused on Sasuke. "She's not cruel as others are in our family. Many have tried to adopt me without my brother, but I refused. Miyu is the only one to lack greed enough to adopt all three of us, including the village pariah." He was looking at Naruto, who only frowned at Obito.

"What, are you saying she's inadequate?" Before Obito could answer, Naruto added viciously, "I don't like you! I want Iruka-nii-san." He looked away stubbornly before being called out to spar.

Sasuke was panting, though he smiled brightly at his brother, asking how he did. Itachi smiled at him, saying he did well but needs practice on his forms, poking him in the forehead. Obito sat in awkwardness, feeling genuinely hateful toward the blond kid. Itachi noted this and explained, "If you had never been shown kindness until one person came along, would you not protect them from all things imperfect? Don't begrudge him his protectiveness of her. She has given him more than he's ever had."

He understood that perfectly and figured he felt the same about her carrying the burden of these kids' futures. Despite his earlier offense, he considered her more special than anyone he's known in his life. For him to be able to trust her at this point was incredibly hard for him. Even his own parents hurt him, so why not Miyu?

But he watched her grapple with Naruto, whose taijutsu was horrible but his relentless attacking and energy impressive. She was having no trouble, but she was careful to smile and tell him he was doing well. In fact, she was incredibly beautiful when she handled him. Finally, she took them back to the orphanage as Obito practiced by himself.

She returned looking a tad crestfallen, looking at the empty ground her "brothers" sat upon. She then turned her gaze to Obito, the order of the glances leaving him torn. He was not her first priority, of course not… but it seemed to bother him more this time around.

"So, uh, was Iruka your boyfriend?"

She unzipped her halter jacket at that, sighing as she tossed it to the ground. "Sort of." She shrugged at him without emotion, but Obito felt a wrench of jealousy at the admission. "He was a chuunin and he was a major part of a segment of the mission. I guess we got close but…" she smiled at him, "he's just not my type." Obito wanted to ask her so many things, so many questions stabbing at his core. He wanted to know her sincerely, more than anyone had ever known of her. But she chuckled and broke his wish with, "Alright, let's get started."

She asked him how she should attack him with taijutsu. Obito requested that she use her full abilities, not holding back. "But…" Obito asked what, "… never mind. It is the only way you'll improve fully." She shifted into her stance, Obito already marveling at the added essence her new curves provided. He wanted something else other than grappling, but he quickly burned that as he realized how he was unworthy of her.

As he attacked, she quickly dodged. She was clearly not using the full extent of her ability only to allow him the idea of being able to attack. She was too fast for him, too strong. When she countered, it was like he was hit with something ten times his force. She stepped back, looking worried as he struggled to find a strategy. He dove in for an attack only to find himself on the ground.

"May I see your full ability?" he asked, a veiled thread of anger in his voice. "You're holding back; I want to see how much." She looked at him pleadingly, beginning to explain, "Beat me up; I want to know what kind of woman I'm up against."

She complied with his request, and everything that happened was a jumbled mess of identifications in his mind. By the end of it, he was on the ground, coughing harshly and vomiting. She neared him and lifted him over her shoulder; she helped him back home.

She placed him on his bed and healed him before murmuring he needed rest. He felt her trail her warm fingers down his arm as she left him to the silence.

Whatever kept breaking inside of him, he felt it fully shatter when he regained consciousness. He was far weaker than he imagined in her shadow. It was no wonder that Kakashi, five years ago, had fallen at her feet. He thought back, realizing that she was that strong five years ago. He could not imagine her strength now.

He was useless and weak. Why was he there at all?


	11. Caving

**Chapter Eleven: Caving**

He was always the weak, stupid one in the family. He recalled the many burns he received mastering Goukakyuu no Jutsu; his determination was strong and put him in the forefront of the clan. Upon entering the Academy, he was intimidated by his classmates, bullied, and became one of the worst students in the school. He remembered how his parents slowly began to despise him for being subpar, and how he was further tormented by his peers.

How could he find acceptance and fulfillment? As a former flame of his returned to his home, he found himself indulging in alcohol and the dance of seduction. More than before, he found he did not enjoy this at all; as he tried to talk about things that were bothering him, she simply muffled his words with her kisses and ground her hips on his. One particular caress reminded him of Miyu, though his woman was far from the pristine beauty. Not having her focus bothered him, not having her affection... Everything else seemed second to that.

He could not continue the charade any further and, after a rather disappointing night, sent her home. He was not drunk, but was getting close to it. As the flame made her dramatic exit, he saw Miyu at the door.

"I take it I caught you at a bad time?" He hated that cold tone in her voice. She had to leave; as much as he wanted her to stay, he had to push her further from him. She looked at him angrily, gripping the item in her hand tightly. Suddenly, he was torn. "I thought that the boy I admired had come back. Don't worry; you won't be seeing me again."

She left and he smashed his bottle of alcohol against his floor. He took to training in his stupor and ended up hurting himself more than training, hurting his ankle. When the drunkenness had passed, he called other females, those more physically attractive than Miyu could ever be. None of them came due to their own flames or absences. One in particular took to telling him he was stupid if he thought that she was going to waste time on his problems. It became clear that Miyu was right about them abandoning him when he needed them.

He considered his grievous mistake, seeing that his assumption that Miyu did not care was horribly incorrect. She was the one who took him home the night before, and also the one who came to visit without needing to be asked. She had her brothers to think of, but she came to him first, instead. What could she possibly gain from that?

For a clearer view of things, he summoned Kakashi in the later afternoon.

"Well, this is… irregular," his old teammate said, eyebrows raised. "I kind of heard from Miyu already. I will not get in the middle of this. If you want to ask me about that time, we honestly didn't do anything. I had a mission the next day and my chakra was already depleted from my jutsu training. She kindly let me use a room."

Though that was not at the forefront of his concerns, it relieved him that there was not an intimate relationship between them. He stayed silent as Kakashi continued, "She's… in the Academy, she was a lot more volatile with others. Because of her team, Iruka, and Asuka and Tonbo, she overcame something that had prevented her from being a good person before. It's not my place to discuss other things, but I think I should make it clear that she values you a lot."

His heart jumped and fluttered, an emotion bubbling in his sternum as Kakashi confirmed Miyu's feelings. He was still so full of uncertainty, so full of that abyss of vulnerability that even the notion of her caring seemed otherworldly. "Why? We hardly know each other."

"Well, she seems to know you better than we did… our team." Kakashi leaned back on his feet, staring up to the clear skies. "She spent a great deal of time with me before to talk about an appropriate training regimen for you. It rather surprised me that she knew more about you in so little time than we did in those six years. She seemed to care a lot about you, personally, in contrast to us who didn't really care. I apologize for that."

Indeed, she handled him very well in yesterday's training. He had not even noticed how she had tailored her fighting style to appropriately challenge his. Obito was so concerned about himself, that even a gesture as meaningful as that escaped his notice. "Why would she go so far…?"

"It's not my place to presume anything. I just want to say, before I summon her, that it takes a lot to realize you've hit the ultimate low. It's thanks to you that I've even gotten stronger. I was far in my career as a shinobi, but when I looked around, I did myself no favors with the way I acted. Friendship is a powerful thing, I'm sure you understand. Try and value that this person thinks so highly of you. She's honestly a notable shinobi."

He disappeared in a burst of smoke, and another burst of smoke appeared in front of him, through which Miyu stepped out. His heart dropped as he realized how truly beautiful she had become. She looked the same, but somehow became the most striking person he had ever seen. She closed her eyes, "I was summoned by Kakashi."

"Yeah…"

"I have things to do…"

"I understand."

"This is one of them." She slapped him and punched him in the stomach. He doubled over and she let him fall on the ground as she stepped out of the way. "You deserve that. I feel like doing more, but I think that should be enough for now." Obito looked over to her; she was crying. An overwhelming shame washed over him. He made this beautiful person cry.

"I have things you need to know about me. I think you've made it clear that you don't care about me like I care about you, so I think you need to understand why." She breathed and wiped away her tears, looking stern.

"I was born in Konoha's Red Light district to a prostitute named Kosame Getsu. For years, I followed her around, loving her strictly because she was my mother. I was a stupid kid, so I thought that she only scorned me because she was busy."

He heard, but could not believe what he was hearing. His heart sank and he felt like he was about to throw up. Miyu, looking more distraught than he had ever seen her, continued.

"I tried to be the obedient daughter for a long time, but she began using drugs and beat me, calling me useless, weak, and foolish. She was right at the time, but then she went a step further and sold me for drugs to a man in the Uchiha clan. I was kept somewhere in the forest, crying out for my mother, only to have this horrible man beat me and try to whore me out for money. I escaped, luckily, but not before this man convinced me, and rightfully so, that my mother never loved me."

In perspective, his problems suddenly appeared miniscule in comparison. To imagine that such a dark and tragic life was part of Miyu's reality seemed cruel and needless. To imagine her helpless and alone, living those horrendous conditions and experiences gave him the worst pain he had ever endured. Miyu shrunk into herself, her voice quieter, staring beyond the ground in front of her.

"I don't know who my father is. As I looked back, I realized that my only way out of that life was to become a shinobi. I worked really hard at it, having to work twice as hard as anyone else for half as much respect and recognition. The teachers somehow knew my mother and let the word of my parent spread around the Academy. Not only there, but in the village. And it didn't help that I looked just as trashy as I was treated.

"There are dishonorable people, including my mother, who left me to fend for myself under those unnatural conditions, and whoever that Uchiha man was. But the reason that I admired you was because you weren't the pompous Uchiha brat. You were a modest person with self-esteem issues, and a good person, yet. It was hard for me to accept that, which is why I couldn't go near you for a long time. I couldn't see you past your last name… but I did. And unfortunately, I had to leave just as I wanted to get closer to you. You made me believe that Konoha had a way forward and it gave me just the drive to get out of my depression and work hard…

"But here you are, and I am extremely disappointed in you… but I know you're there, Obito. I'm no one, if even half of that. I wish I hadn't taken that mission sometimes because then maybe I could have helped you when you needed it. Right now, I don't recognize you. As foolish as it sounds, I hope that sweet boy comes back. I really miss him."

She disappeared before he could utter any tangled thought. He wanted to chase after her, but he needed to answer to himself first. Why should he care about Miyu? _Because she hasn't given up on me_. Why should I care about her past? _Because she cares about my future_. Why should I value someone I hardly know? _Because she has faith in me, even if I have failed her grievously._

The realization of the relation between himself and the other Uchiha made his blood boil. He made himself guilty by association and realized just how much injustice she had overcome just to be near him. She loved him, and he cared more about her than his harem, anyway. He still kept all of those letters she sent him as well as the letter his sensei gave him. He perked at that and raced to his room to read them all over again.

The words on the page were still relevant to him. As he gazed out of his window to the Hokage mountain, he began to question them. Why was Miyu allowed to be mistreated? He remembered, now, that she was on par with Kakashi in many categories, and in fact surpassed him in many others. He wanted to help her, somehow, and wondered if there could be a policy left in place for children of the Red Light district.

"I won't fail you again," he swore, saving his sensei's letter once more in the drawer.


	12. It Came to Pass

**Chapter Twelve: It Came to Pass**

She had disclosed her person in front of him yesterday and she would never forget the look in his eyes. He looked genuinely hurt for her, or genuinely something. It gave her a sense of something else when she answered her door to see him standing there the next day. It was immediate, perhaps pathetic, but both jumped into each other's arms. It was clear that Obito was back to stay.

Immediately, after sharing a rather emotional embrace, she made things absolutely clear. "Here are my expectations: No drinking, smoking, drug use, or otherwise inappropriate behavior for a gentleman. I want a fine role model for my otouto-kun." Obito agreed with a grin, which she returned with a bit of reserve. She observed his new, rather mature clothing and smiled in approval. "You look better, but you might look better with this on, as well."

She revealed his hitai-ate, the one he left on his sensei's grave when he had given up on his career. It was odd, somehow, to take it into his hands again. It felt as though he had regained a piece of himself he discarded, and so carelessly. She smiled to him as he tied it around his forehead again. "Perfect, Obito."

They immediately began, but the results were not much better than the day before. She continued to beat him, hardly using any effort as she blocked and countered. She was not using her full strength, but it was still difficult. After their fight, she told him to try a few exercise for the following weeks.

"Don't worry, you're around Chuunin level. You're a bit rusty, but I'm sure you'll reach jounin level in no time." She handed him water and rested against the fence. "Itachi's taking the Chuunin exams in a few weeks. That boy's extremely talented." Obito again felt that twinge of jealousy and scorned his promotion to Chuunin as a fluke. Miyu grinned at him, throwing him off balance, "Seems like the Uchiha clan is full of talented people. I'm a bit jealous… just a _bit_."

His heart seemed to soar at this, and he felt something in his eyes shine as she said this. He would get stronger. There was no way this person could ever hurt him. He wanted something from her, but he could not put his finger on it. He settled for being near her for now. She rested her head on his shoulder and he felt the blood rush to his face. In all honesty, her warmth was producing rather physical reactions from him. He wanted to eradicate those, labeling them unsuitable for someone apparently learning to trust him again.

But it was that physical high, that sense of being complete where only she was involved. He had never had acceptance or warmth, and to receive it from a person-one who suffered at the hands of one of his relatives-was beyond anything he could ever hope for. Did he even deserve to be trusted? She certainly seemed to think so. He wanted nothing more than to steal her pain.

He gulped and he put his arm around her shoulder. She jumped a bit and turned to him, "Uh, sorry. I just wanted to thank you." Just as immediately, she grinned and bounced into his torso, making them both fall into the ground. He could not have asked for a better reaction; there was no way to express his gratitude at her taking him back. "You are too forgiving."

"No, I just trusted my intuition." She kissed his cheek again and hugged his upper arm, "Obito is back and I missed him!"

He smiled; he did not have to pretend to be stronger than he was. He never realized how much he had hidden himself, or how hard it was on himself to live that pseudo-life. Of course, only one aspect of it was true; he loved women. Still, he valued quality in them, the only reason why he would easily leave those more "agreeable" women for Miyu. He had never felt true acceptance before and he would be damned before he ever let it go.

"You just seem so perfect," he smiled weakly. "It makes me jealous. You're a powerful jounin at the age of 13 and still a great person at 18." She smiled at the compliment but snorted.

"Oh, jeez. No, no; I'm _not_ perfect. I'm the very _antithesis_ of perfect." He found that hard to believe as she rested on his shoulder looking up into the sky. "Well, I'm sort of… distant. I'm selfish, though I don't know to what degree anymore. Above all, I'm really untrusting. Sometimes, I get so indecisive and hurt and confused that I suddenly become impassive and people I care about get hurt. I feel so guilty about it and I like to get down on myself a lot." She looked up at him with her trademark smirk, "The fact that you can't see all that is just a testament to how little time we spend together."

"Well," Obito smirked back, "we can easily change that." She snorted, shaking her head. As she later dozed off, he found himself trying to fight an impossible image in his mind. Whatever it was, he resolved to work hard and improve.

Over the next months, Obito trained increasingly with the impossibly talented Itachi and Miyu. The children eventually stopped complaining about his inadequacy with Iruka, though they were still sore over the amount of pain he had caused their "Miyu-nee." He found he could hold his own against the other chuunin, but only that. He had to yield eventually to his junior. After some encouragement from Miyu (who could still kick his ass), he trained harder, even after his daily training sessions with her ceased.

Inevitably, he became much more masculine-looking, catching more and more attention from the opposite sex. Though he would have been thrilled about this in the past, he was only looking for Miyu's attention. As he became stronger and stronger, finally surpassing Itachi, he began to fight Miyu more regularly and help train Sasuke and Naruto.

One day, he asked Miyu not to hold back. Suddenly, he was able to see her movements in what seemed to be multiple images. He was able to predict her movements and was finally able to counter effectively. This threw her off and made her jump back. He saw that she was grinning, and with a bit of focus, he was able to see her chakra flow. He grinned as well; he had activated his Sharingan.

"I'm so proud of you!" she squealed, tackling him into the ground. It never occurred to him before, but he was starting to think more and more of her. Whenever she smiled at him, he felt himself glow. Whenever she complimented him, he felt like he was floating. It was impossible how happy she made him.

When training with the boys one day, she watched them as they took their various forms, looking to correct. At this point, she did not need to correct them, but she seemed to feel the need to look, anyway. He found himself distracted, but it appeared that she did as well. She inhaled and smiled at him, looking away just as suddenly. For whatever reason, this stuck in his mind. He knew it was not a coincidence or a random occurrence. She was watching him, specifically, and there was no point in denying her particular attention.

There was no point in denying she took his breath away, either.

That evening, he stayed around as he usually did. This time, there was this new layer of subtle affection that ensconced them both. He was able to hold her closer as the months passed, now holding her in his arms without hesitation. For a while, he figured that this closeness was familial, but he was not so sure anymore. She commented on how strong he had become, to which he held her closer.

"I think I'll advance to jounin… and I want to join ANBU like Kakashi." She shifted in his arms, looking uncomfortable. "What's wrong?"

"I'm happy for you," she nestled into his chest, still looking a bit unhappy. "Sorry. Listen, I… I just don't want you to get hurt. Just be careful, alright?" Obito laughed, holding her closer and kissing the top of her head. It was an automatic thing, but it surprised him and her. At the end of the day, he left in a bit of a hurry. His heart was racing and beating wildly.

He could not return home. He felt he had something to say to Miyu, and for a long time, he considered it. It had been a few months ago that he realized he was developing romantic feelings for her, though he was not convinced at the time. She was so beautiful, it seemed impossible that he did not fall for her sooner.

He thought sadly of over his past and searched wildly for memories-however brief-of Miyu in the Academy. He was alone for a long time, defined only by the disappointment of his parents and the rejection of his teammates. While his sensei clearly cared, it was Obito's own self-esteem that held him back. For a long time, he did not associate his shortcomings as part of his parent's blame. Looking back, he realized that his potential was immense, and it took words from a strange girl to show him.

If it was not for her, he would never have come this far. That was a wonderful person; one with strength and faith in others. No matter which faults she had, he could not see them. This woman was definitely the one he wanted to be with, and perhaps share his life.

She was surprised when she opened her door to find him again. This time, he appeared nervous and she teased him with a smile, "Hey, there. Back so soon?"

"Miyu, I think I should tell you something." She looked at him suspiciously and asked if he had caved again. He took her hands and smiled, "No, no. I'm falling in love with you."

He sensed her fear, her blood running cold under his hands. She stayed perfectly still, eyes wide as saucers as she tried to register what he was saying. Her expression was tepid, and when she finally reacted, she tried to smile, "Obito, I… You're a great person, and I mean that… It's just, I don't think we know each other well enough to be in love?"

He was not exactly torn at that. She seemed more unsure than anything, though the admission still showed signs of shock in her eyes. He grinned at her to ease her, "What's the big surprise? We've known each other for almost six years."

"R-right, and have only really been together for one and a half," she sputtered, tremulously removing her hands. She calmed down and reserved herself, looking up to him as she debated about what to say.

"I want to become Hokage," he smiled. "It's my dream now."

"Hokage? But you never wanted to be…"

"No, you're right. But I realized, after watching you, someone who does not want children, take the initiative to give these kids a family… I realized that it's because I don't want to lead with that kind of power that I need to. I need to set up new rules, to make sure that there are enough investments in iryouninjutsu in each team, therapy for shinobi... so many things need to change and as Hokage, I can do that. And I want a woman I'm worthy of at my side."

Miyu was visibly unconvinced, though said, "If I can love you before you reach your dream, I'll accept your declaration. For now, we're just close friends."

He could not give up on her. She was right when she said they did not know each other well enough. It was only a matter of time before they did, however, and if he still felt the same, nothing would stop him from showing her he was sincere. This time, he kissed _her_ cheek and gave her hand a light squeeze before leaving. She wanted to make sure she loved him; that was all.

She squeezed her eyes shut to register what just happened. Her hand reached to where his lips kissed her cheek and sighed. "Just what I needed," she muttered, though she could not force herself to be upset. She looked into her domestic museum and became thankful that he had come. It disrupted the course of her thoughts, though she wondered if it would make things more difficult as time passed.

More and more, her thoughts drifted to the darker times in her life. She had seen drug use, prostitution, and abuse before she could speak. She remembered constantly looking for her mom, a dark-haired siren who smoked frequently. Miyu would follow her around, only to be pushed or hit away. The day she asked who her father was, Getsu took her cigarette and pressed it into Miyu's cheek.

Despite that being a relatively minor occurrence compared to everything else, it still made her feel alone. Remembering how she reached for her mother the last time she saw her, wanting to hug her despite being treated worse than trash…

When she finally entered the Academy, it was no haven. She struggled for years against the administrators to accept her as a legitimate student. Upon entrance, it was clear that she either had to be the best or she would return to the depraved life she had led since birth. Though she was scared and scornful of men, she remembered how she had come to trust Iruka. She smiled, remembering her old friend. He was due for a visit.

He greeted her with a smile as always, exchanging a hug for the months they had not seen each other. After being treated to some tea, she looked at the mountain of paperwork he was due to grade.

"Oh, no!" she said in mock-concern. "Don't tell me you're a ninjutsu instructor! That's horrible!" She snorted and laughed as Iruka looked at her in annoyance. He frowned and looked to her sternly, pointing at her with a pen.

"Oi, oi! It was my worst subject before, but I got it now." She smirked at him, making herself comfortable as she leaned back. He smiled as he resumed grading, "It's hard to believe we've gotten this old. Well, not old… Sometimes I expect to see Frizzy-Hair Miyu rather than how you are now."

"Same with you. I expect to see the class clown, but look at you now! All serious and grown up, house included." She stared up to the ceiling, frowning thoughtfully, "Kinda sad, actually. I wish we could go back and spend more time together."

"We spent plenty of time together, had plenty of fun; now we're all grown up and need to get to work." He finished grading the last assignment, sighing as he leaned forward. "Miyu, I know you too well to pretend you're here for leisure. What's bothering you?"

"Plenty of things from the past, but you already know about that." Iruka nodded carefully, waiting for the second part. "You know Uchiha Obito?"

"Yeah, the infamous manwhore?"

"He conf-"

"No," Iruka laughed, "no, no! Don't tell me you're taking him seriously?" 

"Well, yes. We've-"

"Miyu, you're kidding me. You didn't actually… you know?"

"God no! Look, he's really changed these past few months. He's almost back to who he used to be." Iruka quirked his lower lid, frowning slightly. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. We're been training together and he finally confessed to me today. It's all very confusing."

"What's to be confused about? He confessed." He paused a bit and sighed. "Right; sorry. Um… don't… trust him too much at this point. You know him better than I do, but chances are he might be doing all this to use you. I don't know." He offered her a smile, "For your sake, I hope he's sincere."

"I'm sure he is," Miyu smiled. "I just don't know how to feel."

He sighed and chuckled a bit under his breath. He crawled over to her and gave her a hug, "Miyu-chan, it's okay. Don't torment yourself any further." Iruka knew her too well to pretend she was here for leisure. As she embraced him and cried into his shoulder, he wished he could go back and give her a better life. Too many classes of pain flooded forward and something inside of her shattered.


	13. The Unlucky One

**Chapter Thirteen: The Unlucky One**

She had become more distant to him, and particularly after he finally joined ANBU. He was still bent on being with her, but it seemed that she was becoming more isolated and he was becoming busier. One of his rookie jobs was to organize confidential files of active and inactive members along with details of their missions. Kakashi joined him to oversee the rookie's first assignment.

It was strange not to be volatile with Kakashi, and especially strange to see that Obito was taller than his former teammate. The white-haired shinobi learned of his activation of the Sharingan and challenged the Uchiha to a friendly match after the assignment, to which Obito agreed.

As he perused through the names of active members and classified missions, he was surprised to see people he knew. There were at least three senior shinobi members that were active and two inactive, which surprised him. However, he finally came across one that made his jaw drop.

"_Miyu was in ANBU?_"

"Oh, evidently she didn't tell you," Kakashi said, puzzled. "She was one of the top ANBU captains, arguably the most adaptable, and the best Oinin. She went out for five years on the investigation into the Kyuubi attacks and was selected to head a covert mission before she took a vacation… well, you can see the details there. She was my superior when I entered."

She came back a few times to aid in Konoha's reconstruction and to train rookies. She apparently obtained useable information from various unnamed sources, however stopped when she was assigned to a reconnaissance mission due to her plans to adopt children. Though she was listed as inactive, she was still considered a member.

He began looking at her records and found that she joined at age 11. He was jealous of _Itachi_ before, but her talent and strength was insane. He felt like throwing up, as though he had discovered that she had been cheating on him. Something like that, anyway.

He finished his first assignment successfully and received a bit of training with Kakashi, whom was impressed with his show of strength. Coupled with his Sharingan, Obito was successfully able to defeat his former rival… however, he needed advice.

He was notably angry, disgusted. "I can't believe she didn't tell me. I thought we were close…"

"A lot of people don't talk about it," Kakashi offered, shrugging for good measure. "Besides, if she _had_ talked… well, you already know the rumors about her. She was insanely talented, though." Kakashi's narration did not help, and he felt even more upset. "Look, I don't want to get involved with the drama. If you're mad about her not telling you, don't be. She was chasing down criminals and killing nukenin. If anything, nag at her for putting her life in danger."

He planned on it.

Instead of their usual embrace, their greetings were becoming more remote. He still hugged her, though she stood there with her arms crossed. He did the same that day, but he was a bit more tense than usual.

"Why didn't you tell me you were in ANBU? Why didn't you tell me you were an Oinin?" She stared at him blankly, a certain aura of seclusion as she furrowed her brows.

"It's none of your business."

"None of my business?" he cried, incredulous. "I'm your friend! You could have at least mentioned it in passing!"

"What for? So you can marvel at how good of a catch I am and try to win me over as you have in the past?"

"No! We're friends. Friends get to know each other!" He disliked this guarded, self-righteous streak. She looked horrible as she raised her chin at him, acting defensive. "Look, I know I wasn't the best guy in the past, but right now, it's insulting that someone I've worked with for so long never told me she was investigating in ANBU of all organizations. You could have at least told me you made it."

Miyu shook her head, "I'm sorry. I didn't think it was a big deal." It was an obvious haphazard apology, flat-tone and all. He was hurt, genuinely, and this time it got to him.

Weeks passed with dwindling communication. She was just as distant as she claimed to be, and was especially so after his confession. She was evasive, nervous, and did not spend much time with him. Her brothers, when he visited, were beginning to see him as a stranger again and encouraged Miyu to see someone "nicer." He wondered if she was lying to them about him, though Itachi denied that to be the case.

"We just see that you cause her a lot of unease," the young chuunin elaborated. "Umino Iruka at least seemed to make her smile."

He could no longer lie to himself; not only was he incredibly jealous of Iruka for receiving the brother's approval, but he was extremely hurt at her lack of contact. She seemed to avoid him, and as time passed, he wanted to avoid her. She no longer smiled, and it was all due to his confession. Upon Kakashi's reluctant advice, Obito expressed his hurt to her.

She seemed hurt by his admission, moving to grab his hand, which his heart sincerely wanted. She did not and they simply sat there in silence. It was once so easy to talk to her, so easy to hold her and love her. Suddenly, all of that seemed arbitrary. He missed her skin, her scent, her particular way of moving and laughing. Sometimes, he wondered if he had mistaken the person he fell in love with.

"I don't want to get involved," Kakashi griped over lunch one day. He sighed, defeated, "Last time, okay? And only because you seem genuinely clueless." Obito listened attentively, confusing the white-haired shinobi momentarily (since when did Obito listen to him, anyway?), "Her evasiveness is pretty common among children from dysfunctional families, abusive households, and victims of molestation. It shouldn't surprise you that, even if part of her trusts you irrevocably, she can't bring herself to trust you fully. She's terrified of being hurt, of being betrayed. Believe me, anyone would be if they were sold for drugs and nearly raped. And it's especially true in your case since it was your relative."

"I'm not..."

"No, you're not that man… but you _are_ an emblem of what she fears. You might not remember, but she was particularly distrusting of males in the Academy. Her only friend was Umino Iruka, but they weren't all that close, either at first. Anyway, her evasive and defensive behavior had more to do with her being scared of being hurt than anything you did."

Obito understood fully. He understood that she was distrusting of him, and her reasons, and it made perfect sense that it would go so far. He was in a similar position, having been ostracized from his family his entire life and emotionally abused by his immediate family. He trusted her, so it seemed as though she should trust him, too. Obito understood, and decided not to force the issue on her. He figured he needed to review his feelings of her, but also, upon confirmation of his feelings, convince her of them.

When he returned home, he was met with the usual Saturday routine-a questioning of his loyalty to the clan by several of his relatives. At first, Obito was apprehensive to reply, believing that they were trying to bully him like in the past, however he had claimed loyalty for the past month to see what it would earn him. Since he had made jounin, it seemed the clan was more accepting of him.

Today, they allowed him to join the clan meetings, where he had to swear his loyalty to the clan. He was adept at lying to his clan, so convincing them of his loyalty was a simple matter, even with a Sharingan. With initiation, he was allowed to join as he swore on his parent's graves that he was loyal.

It was an interesting meeting filled with emotion-based propaganda and rather intricate plans filled with a hinted coup d'état to overthrow Konoha government. It was not overt, considering that Obito was new to the meetings, but it was significant. He acted accordingly, but did not know what to make of what he was hearing. One elder in particular claimed that Obito's stance as a shinobi would be the "pipeline" that connects the clan to the village.

The Uchiha had substantial losses in the war and in the Kyuubi attack. The clan claimed that their compound was specifically placed to isolate the clan from Konoha, as though the village meant to send them away. Obito, thoroughly confused, was not visibly skeptical. The Hokage seemed happy to select him to become a member of ANBU, despite his name. He considered that the clan had isolated _itself_ over the years, much like the Hyuuga clan. Regardless, he needed to seem inconspicuous and said he noted and resented the isolation from the village.

He wanted to consider his relationship with Miyu rather than meticulously scan his memory for evidence of treason. He resented having his plans ruined, though this was rather important. He fell asleep remembering the undeniable abhorrence in his clan's eyes as they discussed his beloved village.


	14. The Only One

**Chapter Fourteen: The Only One**

The situation with the clan only worsened and it soon happened that he was right in concerning himself about possible treason. On the one side, he agreed that the substantial losses to the clan were devastating and horrible, but so were those of the village. The war touched everyone's lives and infested their beloved peace with a raging cancer of disconcertment and woe. The plans to overthrow Konoha were long left to decay as his clan picked up the tattered pieces of the damage, with leaders like Fugaku, Yashiro, and Inabi dead, they bided their time before picking up those plans again.

Though his acting was keen, even they could see Obito was divided on his stance. Obito tried to argue against their coup d'état, but to no avail. Their hurt faces and expressions threw him off more than he anticipated. He never appreciated their attitude toward him in the past, but in the present, he was surprised with their recognition. No, he was thrilled by their recognition. It was always the one thing he vied for, the one thing he hoped to achieve a majority of his life. He examined that, but was surprised with the emptiness of the thrill.

He no longer desired their recognition, though it was a nice surprise. The fact that they realized he was a great shinobi capable of prominence was a compliment… but it was not them he wanted. His name had become a bit of a legend through his missions, and his prestige was met with enthusiasm. However, he asked for more time to understand things. As they asked him again to consider joining them on their attack, he hesitated. "I just… need more time. I love my clan, but…" he visibly looked to the Hokage mountain and his sensei's face, reminded of his words, "… there are things in this village I hold dear."

Tekka, a member of the Konoha Military Police Force, was upset and spoke up, "If it's about that daughter of a whore…" he bit his tongue as he was met with Obito's activated sharingan. A killing intent much more powerful than Obito's will raged, making the senior Uchiha step back, "Listen, Obito… You could bring this clan back to prosperity; you can make us the mightiest of all shinobi. You can restore the losses with one of our daughters."

"That's not what I want," Obito explained. "I don't like that I am suddenly the clan's one hope for strength, or the clans one chance for vengeance, and I especially don't like the prospect of restoring the clan with women who, on top of being just as pompous as our males, don't even have shinobi experience."

"And what? Getsu's harlot of a daughter is more suited to your tastes?"

Something in him snapped and his sharingan seemed to flare with a power that made the man fall back, "Bring Miyu into this again and I'll end you." He did not need to raise his voice to make the gathered crowd of his kin stepped back in fear. "You claim to value me, yet you insult what I value most. I'm not just referring to Miyu, but this village has given me more opportunities than any of you ever did. What makes you believe that after a lifetime of alienation at your very hands I'll suddenly be sympathetic to your goals?"

"As a member of ANBU, you will be strategically placed as a spy to Konoha," Tekka continued with care. "Family is everything to an Uchiha. Perhaps you'll open your eyes one day."

"I already have."

For all of that defensiveness on Miyu's part, it was difficult to believe they had not spoken in almost two months. In that time, Obito had reconsidered his feeling for her, growing to love her painfully and hate her passionately. For all of his fluctuations, for all of her faults and evasiveness, he could not deny that she drove him insane.

Iruka had become a more regular visitor during Obito's absence. Off-duty, Obito would observe that the kids were very taken with him. As he observed her softened gaze, watching the other man with the grinning kids, he wondered if she had loved him all along. After being heart-broken for about a month, he paid Kakashi to dig into the nature of Miyu and Iruka's relationship. Kakashi finally responded, saying it was platonic and they were strictly friends.

"How d'you know?"

"I asked."

His former rival was becoming annoyed with Obito's own evasiveness. It could be said that while he did pursue communication, he was discouraged after past failures and promptly ceased any further pleasantries. As the days passed, he not only became more desperate to see Miyu smile _because_ of him, but also more jealous of the attention her "friend" garnered. After an elongated hug goodbye from the scarred chuunin to Miyu, Obito had had enough wasting time. He either needed to determine his emotions or let her go. It was, after all, possible that he was merely obsessed with the idea of being in love with her.

First, he had to recognize her flaws. At times, though it appeared unintentional, she was hurtful at his expense. Her strong nature led to his discomfort a lot. She was also insensitive when she did these things, though it appeared she insulted or hurt him unintentionally most of the time. Particularly when she conveniently forgot to tell him she was one of the most powerful ninja in the village, she appeared most apathetic to his feelings.

She was also as distant as she claimed, not to mention evasive. Regardless of her Freudian excuse, he was hurt by it, and his pain was obvious to her. He never heard an apology from her, either. Even after he expressed this hurt, she did not utter a single apology, nor contact him to establish the state of their relationship. As he thought more about it, it hurt him to realize that she truly did not want anything to do with him… at least it seemed.

The reason he wanted to be with her in the first place was because of the way she made him feel. Despite her flaws, he remembered bliss beyond the scope of her inflictions that made him, even then, feel as though he could reach no better heaven if he tried. Her smile, dorky laugh, warm eyes, and soothing touch caused him to revert to a vulnerability he once fought tirelessly. Not this time; he needed to understand one thing.

For both of their pain, they had overcome their own fears and distrust to be together. When a powerful vulnerability became clear to the both of them-his confession-things began to wear at the ends. He realized that despite her disgusting mother, despite being traumatized by one of _his_ relatives, she chose to trust him. She left him in awe of her bravery, of her determination, of her will to become the best. Her sincere kindness planted a seed of redemption in him, and despite having betrayed her numerously, she continued to take him back. There was no denying she loved him too, though it remained to be seen if that love was romantic.

As for him, he loved that person that saved him, that helped him reach a potential he never thought possible. She was beyond anything he could ever hope for, now he only wished to be a similar light in her world. He trained harder still and finally reached the rank of ANBU captain. With his new title under his belt, he paid her a surprise visit.

He was thankful when she answered the door, her eyes widening in surprise. She gripped the door a bit and averted her eyes, "Yes?"

He chose to grin, to demonstrate how happy he was to see her. "It's been a long time without visiting. I really missed you." She blinked and cautiously asked him what he wanted. "I made ANBU captain." He noted her stifle a smile, though she only lowered her head. "Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go out on a date with me? To celebrate?"

She struggled, biting her bottom lip as her hands trembled. He continued, "It's up to you to accept my offer. I'm just open to your answer, no matter what it is." Miyu also had a tough time expressing herself; it was hard to imagine, given how she usually wore her heart on her sleeve. At that, she looked up at him, chin still tucked.

"It's not that I don't enjoy being with you, or that I don't like you enough… It's just that it makes it hard for me because I don't think I can trust you enough." She lowered her gaze again, appearing to see beyond him at something long past. "I'm sorry; I know it doesn't make any sense."

Obito understood, "Look, whoever hurt you in the past… I'm not him. And I would never abandon you or use you. I think it's time you understood that. But that's your choice, and no matter what, I'll respect you."

She insisted that he was dreaming if he thought she was girlfriend material. He laughed and said, "Put your defenses down. Behind that passive, independent, and isolated mask, you're a lonely girl afraid to meet another piece of trash who wants to hurt you. But that's not me. It will never be me."

Miyu cried silently, tears falling on the floor as she trembled behind the door. He put his hand on her shoulder, but she jerked away and shook her head. "N-no. Thank you for the offer, but please leave."

She closed the door, but he would not give up. Even if she said no a thousand times, he could not give up. There was no better heaven for him.

Her Academy days were filled with pain and hateful glares. Her old, tattered clothing was a point of humiliation among her female peers, along with her hair and dark skin. Instructors that knew about her mother let it slip that she was the daughter of a whore. After that, the teasing seemed to escalate and she began to feel worthless.

Soon, Iruka came into the picture. Before, he was a peer that would laugh peripherally at her misfortune. She had no individual opinion of him, but he willingly sat next to her in history class. The instructor for that class was one of the worst of her harassers, having her sit in the front of the class so that he could humiliate her even more. She would never forget how Iruka "casually" walked up to the desk and took a seat next to her, tripping over the steps and nearly falling in his chair. It was the first time she laughed in school.

He told her she had beautiful eyes and a beautiful name. Miyu blushed and asked what he wanted. Iruka then elaborated and said he had been eager to prank the teacher that failed him and got him grounded. Miyu, hungry for revenge as well, cooperated in the plan. Iruka's contagious smile and spirit reached her and they became immediate friends.

When it came time to share her past with him, she could never forget his streaming tears. She only related a few things at that point, gauging how much she could tell him. As she grew to trust him over the months, the darker memories began resurfacing. Iruka listened attentively, the unforgettable expression that hurt with her.

She could never accurately describe the fear, pain, and sense of hopelessness that engulfed her as her mother sold her to the Uchiha man. As she sat in that hidden location, tortured and beaten to appease his sexually sadistic appetite, her seven-year-old self wondered if she could ever escape. For days on end, she cried for her mother, remembering how she sneered and left her as she reached out to her that last time.

The one woman she could have ever trusted was the one who betrayed her, who sold her for drug money and left forever. Because Miyu was attached to her and loved her on the virtue that the cruel woman was her mother, the pain was worse than anything she had ever endured. From then on, she was a welcomed guest in the Umino household.

Her best friend, and later her first boyfriend, had brought her a sense of belonging and security. Even as they lost their romantic feelings for one another, their closeness as friends endured. In the meantime, one named Uchiha Obito came along to change the course of her thoughts.

Miyu smiled, knowing that Obito was special to her. He knew about her, and despite that, continued to love her. Though he was one of her blessings, she could not help but be afraid of being hurt. She hoped Obito could forgive her…


	15. I Know You

**Chapter Fifteen: Family**

He was becoming known as Konoha no Hiiro, Uchiha Obito (Uchiha Obito, the Hero of Konoha). It was an interesting title, given that others were given nicknames based on techniques. Of course, being called a "hero" was not a bad thing; he just wanted that to translate into something other than teasing from his subordinates, particularly in the subject of women.

He was a hero, but he was not a playboy anymore. He had his eyes set on a woman that would not even look his direction. She returned to active duty and they saw each other more often, not that it helped in their communication. He wanted to ask why she returned, only to see her report to the Hokage more often. He figured she was secretly active, which was common given shinobi nature. He was hesitant to try contacting her, though after three months, he wanted to give up.

He watched her a lot in their reserved training field. When rookies came along,she and other senior members subjected them to "initiation" Given that many of her old comrades had died in battle, it became clear that Miyu was the shinobi to beat in ANBU. He watched as she fought, demonstrating that old grace of hers as rookies struggled and yielded to her power. Her jutsu were as impressive as her taijutsu, though she more often than not used her expertise to prank other members of ANBU.

At one point, their peers pitted them against one another. With their earned prestige, it was a fight that many of them were itching to witness. Given their turbulent relationship, Obito was understandably uneasy as he observed her cool gaze, while their comrades cheered on one or the other.

"I saw that you activated Mangekyou Sharingan," she announced with an air of detachment. "I hope you didn't obtain it by the traditional means."

It seemed she was somehow familiar with the sharingan and its abilities, and more so than the average civilian. He tried not to be surprised or pleased with the fact, but he could not help but smile. He had long ago felt the loss of his friends and family, the loss of his world and the loss of himself. It was no surprise that he would be able to activate it without having to kill his closest friend.

"Of course not. I could never kill you." She did not react with more than a blink, shifting into her battle stance. "If I win, I get that date." She rolled her eyes, snorting. "Oi, oi! Don't laugh; it's a good incentive."

Again, he was barraged with a series of blows and unidentified jutsus. While he was able to block and attack her a fair share, it was clear that she was still stronger than him. Miyu lived up to her nickname, Konoha no Yuugao (Konoha's Moonflower), presenting attacks that glowed like petals in the moonlight.

Like many others, he eventually had to yield. He at least had the pride of knowing he lasted the longest of anyone who ever fought her. After the fight, showering and changing, he found her waiting for him at the front doors of the ANBU headquarters. She tossed him a mission scroll and he grinned a thank you.

"Great job… Obito-san. I almost had to yield." He had a lot to say, but she disappeared before he could utter anything at all. He was miffed and read his scroll.

His mission was the retrieval of a dangerous criminal who had escaped detention. Though his team managed to successfully retrieve the ninja, Konoha's Hero suffered numerous second-degree burns and a broken leg. He was immediately treated and hospitalized.

As he regained consciousness, he reported that it was not the criminal he was pursuing that had injured him, but a mysterious, tall man in a mask.

Many came to visit him, a lot of them from the clan and new admirers he never saw before. His friends asked him if he was crazy, rejecting all of those hot girls, to which he merely shrugged. In honesty, he was tempted to charm those women for attention, but he realized that it was not their attention, or the clan's, or the village's that he wanted.

It was later in the day, when most of his visitors left, that his door opened one last time. He felt sick as he saw Miyu standing there, who looked something ill herself as she stared at him in shock. She hid that for a bit, neither of them speaking a word as she set her present on the nightstand next to him and sat down in one of the chairs in silence. He blushed, struggling to say anything as she stared continuously. He started to greet her when she broke down in tears.

"You're hurt! God damn it, you're hurt!" she bawled. Obito swallowed his words, at a complete loss at what to say. He began to say that it only looked worse than it was, only for her to counter, "Not as bad as it looks? You're bandaged up like a mummified corpse and you expect me to believe that?" She cried again, shaking her head and hanging it in apology, "Obito, please forgive me for being so stubborn, forgive me for being so distant to you!" She hid her face behind her hands, trembling as she murmured apologies repeatedly.

He laughed, reaching over to her and saying, "Well, you're here."

"I missed you." Obito was surprised by the outburst, though smiled and said he missed her too. Her admission cleared his doubts about loving her. His emotions were emerging again, slowly. His words put her at ease, as though forgiving her was the one bit of redemption she needed. He grinned at her and she reciprocated with a smile.

She carefully approached him and touched his face, smiling sadly, "You've changed so much from when we first met. You were so cute back then." Obito started to ask if he was not cute now, but was cut off by her kissing him. Though his lips were bruised and teeth thus un-brushed, he returned the kiss.

He often felt himself being dismantled and broken, feeling inadequate and unimportant. As he felt her kiss him, repeatedly and without reserve, a new feeling emerged. He felt as though everything they went through together was worth it for this. Despite the pain in his arms, he held her closely and willed himself to extend the event. Her upper body pressed against his and her hands running through his hair released a new sense of desire he could only describe as pure. It was thrilling and he was sad when he could not extend it any further.

She apologized for disturbing his rest, though he adamantly said it was fine. "Disturb me anytime you want," he insisted with a tired grin. She blushed at that, frowning in such a way that he fell in love with her over again. She had brought him food she made herself and helped feed him (though she was very suspicious of his "inability").

Over the course of the next month, he focused on healing. With Miyu talking to him again and experimenting with several iryouninjutsu she had devised, he was able to walk normally and did not need a cast. He was finally released from the hospital, and thankfully, Miyu's visits did not cease. She helped him with cooking and cleaning, bringing her brothers over to help. She had won partial custody over them with the help of the Hokage.

Miyu was concerned with showing favoritism, particularly when it came to the Uchiha boys. She instilled in them a certain value that Obito had never heard of before; graciousness. It was uncommon that the Uchiha would show anything outside of respectful decorum, but Miyu was teaching them to be kind to others and try their best. Itachi in particular was adept at helping his sister-figure, though Naruto was especially competitive to capture her attention. Sasuke and Naruto were at a friendly type of rivalry, to which Miyu lectured for something else.

Loyalty. She told both of them that healthy competition was fine, but to never lose sight of what was really important. Obito observed Itachi as she lectured the youngest of her adopted brothers, noting a sort of relief in his smile. Obito knew the nature of the families in his clan, and with Itachi's particular bias toward peace, Miyu's image of family must have relieved him.

While she had long earned her place as an elite shinobi, she still did not receive the respect that was usually attributed to such patriotism. She did not seem to mind a portion of the time, but some looks summoned her anger and sorrow. Naruto was observing some kunai in a weapon's shop in the market and the owner's wife refused them service. Miyu asked her what the problem was.

"Kosame-san, you are not unwelcome here. You have indeed proven yourself a wonderful asset to our shinobi forces." Miyu did not react to the tepid compliment, but darkened as the woman sniffed in Naruto's direction, "This troublemaker, however, is an entirely different story."

"I've seen worse pranksters purchase things from this shop," she said, raising her chin. "I'm referring to myself, naturally. Naruto's pranking days have dwindled to mere whoopee cushions directed at Itachi." With the woman puffing her chest, Miyu glared, "I'll have you know that he is a very decent boy. If you have issues with his presence, I'd suggest hiding that repulsive glare before I rip it off your face. Naruto is a part of _my_ family and no one trifles with them."

Naruto was crying behind her, though looked up to her as she finished as though he could not believe someone had stood up for him. She took his hand and led them out of the shop to report to the Hokage. With her confident and powerful gait, Obito began to realize how important it was to defend their rights. At the same time, he imagined her as his wife and smiled.

He began having more and more conversations with the Hokage about several issues within shinobi law. He explained that the policy about being human weapons is flawed, but that some necessary changes could make teamwork the priority while still executing missions successfully. Obito was strictly against the archaic law that shinobi need to abandon all emotion and ties within their team, noting several academic studies done on teams with and without emotional ties. The teams with closeness had better success rates.

The Hokage listened to him, smiling, though said that the representative council would never pass such changes. Obito argued that it would be ignorant to ignore the statistics, to which Hiruzen smiled and laughed. They shared a laugh for a while before Obito decided to ask.

"Hokage-sama," he began, "the Uchiha family holds doubts about their loyalty to the village, as I have mentioned in my reports. With all due respect, is there a vendetta against my clan?" Obito only needed confirmation. With the Hokage looking to him in doubt, he explained that there was no such thing. Obito thanked him and took his leave.

With his heart racing, he reached Miyu's home. This time, when she answered the door, she jumped into his arms with a huge smile on her face. He did not know if it was his heart or both of their hearts, but something was beating inside of him that resounded outside of his body. He held his hand to her face, indulging in the smoothness of her skin and jawline.

"Will you go out on a date with me?"

He slapped himself mentally for blurting it that way, feeling stupid for his brashness. She merely giggled in that way of hers and nodded.


	16. Tomorrow I Will Be

**Chapter Sixteen: Tomorrow, I Will Be…**

It was his first date with Miyu, his first real date ever. His palms were sweating, his heart was beating rapidly, and his mouth was dry. Neither of them felt the need to dress up, but he thought she looked especially stunning as she walked by him, her jacket left behind at home. He wanted to be with her in any way possible, but he was so nervous and afraid of rejection that he simply walked by her. He was blushing madly, and upon glancing at his date, she was blushing too. That brought him slight relief. He had to jump when he felt her hand enlace him his.

She was red in the face, pouting as she looked up to him, "Is this… alright?" He had to laugh; both of them were so nervous they could not even speak to each other. He found the courage to hold her and kiss her forehead.

"Of course it's fine!" he grinned, beaming toward her. He noted a slight backing from him, but he took it with a grain of salt. "I'm sorry; I'm just nervous. I don't want to scare you off." She smiled at him and shrugged. She appeared a tad distracted and cast a silence jutsu.

"I'm sure you know this already, but I was asked to investigate the Kyuubi attack on Konoha. It appears there is this growing threat of powerful shinobi terrorists called 'Akatsuki,' one of the members being Orochimaru and… Well, this man may not exactly be a member, but Uchiha Madara appears to be among them."

"Madara's been dead for god knows how long," Obito murmured, confused as he tried to understand. Miyu agreed that for all they knew, Madara was dead, but she explained that there were many indications that he was still alive, not limited to the Kyuubi attack.

Obito knew the history of the Kyuubi and the legend that only a wielder of the sharingan could control it. His clan had no mention of Madara, though he was keen on asking when he joined those meetings-which reminded him, "I'm not sure if my clan is serious, but they are toying with the idea of a coup d'état against Konoha. I've been writing what I've been hearing, but if what you say is true, then this needs to be reported to the Hokage."

"Treason is very serious," Miyu gaped, "why haven't you told anyone!"

"Like I said, I'm not sure if they're serious. My clan has always been rather rebellious, even amongst ourselves. Still, I've written documents on what they have told me and every important detail regarding their secret meetings. Overall, it seems like they can't function without their best… thus why they're including me in their planning."

Miyu quirked her lower lid, "Only a fool would think you're not among the best in the village." He could not help it if listening to her hold him in high regard made him divide his attention. "You think it might not be as serious as it sounds? Is Madara not mentioned in those meetings?"

"Not at all; I sincerely doubt he's part of it, given he still lives." With their evening slowly becoming less focused on them, Obito reminded her with a grin, "Uh… not to belittle how grave that situation might be… but we're on a date."

Miyu pursued her lips and smiled, "Right, sorry." They both began to blush again, though Obito was not as shy this time around and took her hand.

As they silently walked the streets, they were met with some glances from familiar people. The most pleasing one to Obito was Iruka's double-take, though the sensei smiled right afterwards. It was still pleasing, regardless.

"It's hard to believe we've known each other for so long," Obito began. "You know, though I didn't really know you… having these walks with you was the best. I really didn't have anyone, especially my team… but then we'd go out and talk and have fun. It was nice." She smiled and hugged him. "Do you dance anymore?"

"Not as much since I left five years ago."

"Can we dance now? I mean…" She was remarkably open to the idea, showing him the proper form for waltz and slow dance. It was redundant given his interests in kissing her. She caught onto it and grinned in her mischievous way.

"Are you interested in dancing with me or kissing me?"

"A little of both, actually. Right now..." His lips met hers and after so long, he indulged in her feeling. Holding her close was magnetic, the experience electrifying. Feeling her press up against him on her own added an element of desire as well as acceptance. After a while, she found herself laughing.

"Do I want to know how you got so good at this?" He felt a tad insulted again, though she only seemed to be playing.

"I know I wasn't the best guy or anything…"

"Indeed, no. My brother's have only come to tolerate you, you know?"

"Are you trying to say something?"

"Yes." She returned to kissing him, though a part of the sentiment had been effaced. "I'm trying to say that you weren't the best, but neither was I. No matter what, though, it just seems like I can't stop believing in you. You're genuinely good, and even if it's hard for me to accept your last name," she smiled, "well, my feelings for Obito have only gotten stronger."

He did not know how to react, but it came back to him as she resumed kissing him. He could only kiss her more passionately as she accepted all of him, even his mistakes. All she said was that she loved him more and more, which caused him to realize how vital she truly was to his life.

As Miyu described her plans for their futures, holding his hand tightly as though they would float into the night, he realized he needed her. She was more than just his companion, the one who still believed in him despite drastic changes and moods… She was the best person for him, for her bravery, her strength, and her faith in him. Looking into the future, a life without her would be a half-life, and death for her would not be death. He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her in that lonely field where they first met.


	17. The Tribulations of Yesterday

**Chapter Seventeen: Tribulations of Yesterday**

It was surreal and acceptable, the way things turned out. He had to recognize the joy it was to wake up next to Miyu in _her_ home as opposed to the Uchiha compound. It was unorthodox, but it seemed like their marriage was going well. She had a habit of waking up early and they alternated making breakfast before one of them picked up the children from the orphanage. Obito was happy to see that not much had changed between them, though they were yet unable to adopt.

It was true that if the clan tried to overthrow the village government, it would trigger a Fourth World War. Countries would invade and attack the unled village and undoubtedly destroy them along with Konoha. Obito had a vast knowledge of politics for his nights studying the subject. He told his stubborn family that there were problems in the village as well, not exclusive to the clan.

He decided to attend the secret meeting the previous night and offered a solution to their plight. Much to Obito's surprise, they were all listening hungrily, as though he would agree to betray the village. Much to his bigger surprise, when Obito offered an audience with the Hokage (in which he would illustrate the many issues the Uchiha clan has regarding their isolation from the village and many losses during the war), they were apprehensive, but ultimately agreed.

Given that Uchiha Fugaku had died, it was probably not surprising that they would be willing to have the Hokage listen to their dilemmas. The most extremist of the clan had died in the Kyuubi attack, luckily. Obito wondered what would have happened, given the survival of those leaders. For his status in the village, he was glad he was able to convince the clan to give the village a chance to mend their tattered bond.

Through his worries, he still appreciated his time at home with Miyu. Itachi was getting to be older, still, almost 12, and Sasuke and Naruto were as competitive as ever. It was obvious they were going to be great teammates. Miyu liked to focus their attention on their weaknesses while building their strengths, making Naruto study hard from his textbooks and having Sasuke focus on meditation. She doted on Itachi, who she spoiled with weaponry and advanced training. He was quickly gaining momentum, having already made it to jounin and taking exams for ANBU.

When they left, however, a certain silence possessed the home. The kids were sad, though accustomed to leaving Miyu's home for the orphanage. The emptiness was almost painful to look at; both of them felt that gaping hole whenever the boys left.

"Why can't you adopt them? At this rate, they'll grow up without knowing family."

"Is a family in the Uchiha clan cold?" The question set him off balance. He grimaced and tried to sum up his experience in his mind.

"Very. Itachi's father was Fugaku, as you know. I wouldn't be surprised if all he really cared about was making his sons the best weapons they could be."

"Itachi's such a kind boy," Miyu smiled, staring at the empty space as though he was there. "Wise beyond his years, talented… He is a great shinobi, but he's a great person first." She leaned on Obito, "Sasuke's getting there as well. He's great with shuriken. And Naruto; he's ambidextrous! Isn't that wonderful? And he advances so quickly. If only he could get his chakra control down…"

He wrapped his arm around her and held her close, kissing her, "Don't you want to have kids?"

She snorted and laughed into his shirt, "Oh, Obito. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. My fallopian tubes are scarred and damaged." He knew what she was referring to; it hurt him a great deal that she continued to trust him.

"Is it hard to trust me? I understand if it is..."

"No," she said, nuzzling into his chest. "That's why I married you, live with you, and occasionally have sex with you." She was embarrassing him on purpose; he had to scowl and blush as she laughed. "And, well… you said so yourself. You're not the person who hurt me."

She gave a lot of herself to him, and though she made light of her problems, her reactions and movements the first time she even knew his full name made it clear she was afraid. But she pulled through for his sake, and all because she believed in him as an individual.

It was clear that she did not want kids, either. But for her brothers, all because she understood the pain and loneliness of being alone, she wanted to provide them with stability. He realized her pain was more than she let on, more than she wanted to show. She understood that recognizing her fears strengthened them, and she needed to overcome them through exposure and allowing love to enter her life.

Though they had their issues, Obito still felt the bad outweighed the good. One morning in particular, she woke him up with a rather pleasant surprise. As she half-wrestled, half-made out with him, she laughed and told him, "I have a great philosophy I've been trying out since we got married.

_"I wake up every morning and think, 'How can I make his life better today?'"_

He felt beyond lucky to have found her.

Though _he_ felt that way, it was clear that their marriage was unacceptable in the eyes of the clan and a good majority of the village. Given her past and his own, it was clear that many believed that she had seduced him for his standing and name, though Miyu was admittedly stronger than he was. They completely ignored her own accomplishments in the many years without him, only to make false rumors to paint her as a deceitful siren.

Obito cleared up their relationship with the clan, allowing no further argument. _He_ pursued _her_; she hated the clan so she had no reason to pursue him. When she agreed to date and marry him, she made it clear that she did not want prestige or status. She wanted to be with him because she loved and believed in him. No one else supported him like she did. She gave him the confidence to believe in his abilities.

Miyu by his side, he arranged for peaceful negotiations with the Hokage and the village elders.


	18. Ground Zero

**Chapter Eighteen: Ground Zero**

As he reached an audience with the Hokage, the leaders of his clan standing behind him, Obito found it difficult to breath. He had numerous things swirling in an unintelligible mass around his head, unable to focus his thoughts. He breathed in slowly as the Hokage gave him permission to speak.

Obito observed the aged Hokage and his elders, determination emanating from his eyes. With a steady inhale, he began.

"I have lived in this village my entire life, a good part of it in war. Unfortunately, the effects of the war are not exclusive to the shinobi and still pervade to this day. The village lacks support for traumatized shinobi, in particular, and lacks resources to aid regular citizens whose way of life was threatened or destroyed in the war. On behalf of the citizens, I have to say that they are right in fearing us and our capacity to destroy, and we need to do a better job of stabilizing their lives.

"As for the shinobi, I have long witnessed the horrors that PTSD is capable of producing. Our psychology training in the Academy is good, but insufficient in dealing with PTSD and depression after the battlefield. After the war, this problem was rampant and destroyed the young life of my late teammate, Rin. There is no doubt that depression and suicide rates have cost Konoha a greater deal than therapy would for each shinobi who can no longer see their purpose in living.

"Another major issue is the lack of extensive training and lack of quantity of iryounin in our teams. We all know that the success and survival rate increases with their presence and knowledge, but I find that a good majority of the shinobi are ill-equipped and lack the necessary training to perform emergency treatment, surgery, and amputations on missions. My team was lucky that Rin had such extensive training, but I know many others that had less fortune.

"I hope that by illustrating my knowledge of the extent of the shinobi and non-shinobi issues throughout the village, I do not sound inconsiderate when I discuss the plight of my clan. The Uchiha Clan prides itself in the elite shinobi it produces and the many skills the shinobi bring to the village. For our generally higher ranks, we are often placed on missions that are more dangerous and, thusly, lose the most shinobi. I have done my research and it has shown that we have lost the most members of any other shinobi clan in the village.

"In particular, after the attack on our compound which killed many of our leaders, including my parents, the Uchiha have lost massive power. The issues, along with the poor compensation received for the losses, make for growing resentment toward the village. Over the years, we have been systematically isolated from the village into our compound, both through our fault and the village's. For us, it serves as both a fortress and a prison, and scarcely a matter of pride. For that reason, anything less than exceptional is unacceptable-this being my clan's greatest fault. They become a self-fulfilling prophecy when they outcast anyone below exceptional and feed the cycle of depression. It took an outcast to help me reach my full potential.

"Over time, my clan has developed feelings of hatred and has admittedly began flirting with plans of treason. As you can understand, grief and the obvious prejudice in the village regarding my clan contribute to reckless thinking and ideas. I am greatly saddened to admit this, but it is a fact and I can sympathize with their mindset.

"We all have faults, and as flowery as it sounds, I believe it is time all of us reach a compromise and pride ourselves in being citizens of the same village. Everyone loses family, even the Uchiha. We feel just the same as anyone else, though our mindset must change without compromise. Due to the Uchiha's sometimes abominable pride and the village's prejudice, my wife, Uchiha Miyu, is prevented from adopting Uchiha children and give them a better life. And let's not mention the pariah, Uzumaki Naruto, whom the orphanage practically throws out of the building.

"Now, regardless of how either party is feeling at this point, neither are going to get everything you want, no matter the course of action. Treason is foolish and would inspire another world war and isolating us further would deprive the village of many good and talented shinobi. With all due respect, leaders from the village and the Uchiha clan must reach an acceptable compromise and either complete it or face the consequences."

He bowed to the Hokage and to the leader of the clan, and dismissed himself.

Outside, he found Miyu who raced up to him in tears. He was about to ask what had happened but she began to kiss him. She whispered, "You were amazing." He rested his head on her shoulder, hoping that he had done as well as she said.

For the longest time, he wanted to be a part of the Uchiha's inner circle, to be a member without question. Looking back, knowing their true nature, he realized how inconsequential it would have been. The Uchiha, while prestigious, were not what he desired in reality. As he realized their pride and prejudice, even among themselves, he was thankful he was never indoctrinated in their unfortunate ignorance.

He would have never imagined in a thousand years that his salvation would be found in Miyu. He was thankful that his life had taken such a lovely path. They shared an embrace and awaited the results of the discussion among leaders of both parties.


	19. In Your Eyes

**Chapter Nineteen: In Your Eyes**

After extensive debates among leadership, it was decided that the Uchiha would not secede Konoha. The Hokage agreed that it was time for a change and agreed to implement Uchiha Obito's plans for veteran shinobi care and management. The village elder's were particularly impressed with Minato's student, noting his organized and pragmatic illustration of the issues in the village.

After all of these important changes, Obito became something of a celebrity in the village. Many families who received help and compensation in the following months came to thank him personally. His wisdom, cool-headedness, strength, and compassion were making him something of a desired leader.

Obito was still bothered by several things, not limited to Danzo's particular disgust that the village leaders and Hokage would side with the Uchiha clan and the possibility of Uchiha Madara's survival. As both himself and Miyu excelled in ANBU, they set up special task forces to investigate surrounding villages and any links to his legacy.

One morning, he sparred with Miyu a bit to freshen up. He had finally been able to keep up with her and at times get the better of her, but most of the time, both of them were trying not to lose. Though they reached depleted chakra, they were too stubborn to yield. Itachi joined ANBU and had a good time sparring with his "older sister," but was absent that day.

Miyu joined Obito after sparring, teasing him when she saw he gained groupies again. They squealed at him as he tried to cool down.

"Hey, that one looks like the blonde you slept with that time-"

"_Miyu_," he growled, scowling. "It's the past; drop it already."

"Pretty extensive past," she said, bumping him with her hip. "I'm glad they're for different reasons this time." Obito made a face, the cross between a pout and frown that Miyu adored. She giggled in her unique way and he spared her the speech he recited whenever she mentioned his past.

"_I'm happily married._ Anyway," he said, clearing his agitation, "I have a surprise for you when we get home."

"Oh? Another one of those slutty outfits? I think we have plenty of those."

He blushed and frowned, "_No_. It's a surprise, so if you're done teasing me about my libido, we should get going."

They reached the house, Itachi, Sasuke, and Naruto in the livingroom. Miyu was pleasantly surprised, giving Obito a glance before she greeted them with her usual hugs and kisses. The appropriate sunshine gleamed happily through the windows, letting Obito cherish the occasion quietly as Miyu finished her loving routine. "And the occasion?" she wondered, looking to her husband. Sasuke and Naruto grinned from ear to ear as Itachi stood diligently by his "brother's" side.

"They're officially your adopted children," he smiled. He was unsure, since she did not react at first, but with tears streaming down her cheeks and her lips stretching into a smile, she held her brothers tighter.

"Oi, oi!" Naruto objected, "it's not the first time we're here! _Miyu-nee_!" Obito had to laugh as she continued to torture the "tough" Naruto with affection. With an approving glance from Itachi, Obito was happy to think that their family was finally complete.

He reflected on his time with her, understanding how he found love, acceptance, and loyalty in her. He observes their completeness, seeing how this strong, intelligent woman found him worthy enough to be his. She equally looks upon him, thinking that this strong, intelligent man has found her worthy enough to be hers.

It did not cross his mind often enough how painful her experiences as a child might have been. Whenever he had a taste of it through her small bouts with depression, the clearer picture revealed itself to issue him a grim portrait of a lonely child. Sometimes, a villager would look at her a specific way or make a hurtful comment under their breath. On her most vulnerable days, it appeared that old scars reopened themselves.

He wished he could draw back the curtain of time and take back those painful days of loneliness. He would steal those countless hours she spent alone and afraid. Had he only known her sooner, perhaps he could have eased the hurt before it fused into who she became. He loved her as she was, flaws and merits, sadness and happiness, but if only…

"She believed in me and she saved me. I hope someday I can do the same for her."


	20. And Then

**Chapter Twenty: And Then…**

Obito prepared himself as he awaited the crowd outside. He tightened his gauntlets, his clothing fastened securely as he analyzed the best approach to the situation. He steadied his breathing, closing his eyes as he imagined the most effective course. He was the emblem of a true shinobi, standing powerfully in the shadows. With a signal from Kakashi, he headed out the door.

Cheers erupted, the sun beaming straight into the Hokage tower. Sandaime greeted him with an aged smile, extending his hand toward him as the village called his name. He had to smile beyond his nervousness. Looking to the carved face of his sensei, he found the courage to speak.

"Hello everyone, and thank you for this opportunity. As a child, I never imagined even making chuunin, let alone Hokage. I am not arrogant enough to believe that I am the 'best' among us to lead, but I believe I am the best to lead because I don't want the power. It's paradoxical and I apologize if any preconceived notions of me have been muddled by this confession, but it is the truth.

"I was that teammate that never improved. We had an intelligent iryounin who specialized in surgeries, a genius son of a war hero, and the best sensei anyone could ask for. You would think this would encourage me to work harder-and I did, but I didn't believe in myself. It took many struggles and words from incredible people to help me defeat that awful person I had become.

"Before he died, my sensei wrote me a letter. It said, _'Obito, you are in a tough position right now, but you are not alone. Long ago, I had lost everyone I loved and admired, and even lost myself. It is tough to overcome, even more difficult to defeat, but it is entirely possible and I have all of the hope in the world that you will become who you want to be. Just remember that even if the nukenin seek you, keep going. Even if there are flames targeted upon you, keep going. If people are assigned to murder you, keep going. Keep going, and if you want a taste of happiness, never stop_.'

"I once met a woman-beautiful, strong, and intelligent- who did not want to be a mother. Yet, one day, she found orphans crying over their loss. Having been lost and alone herself, she understood that she _needed_ to become their caretaker. She had the means and the patience for it, so she did it. Today, little Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke, and Naruto are leading their classes.

"I can only hope to be half as successful as she was. It is her story that makes me hopeful that Konoha will soon be the most admired village in the world. Of course, I cannot do it alone. I am merely your representative. Alone, I can be defeated and ignored, but as a people under one symbol, we can do anything.

"Now, I may not be the brightest, the strongest, the best, but I got the best woman in the world to marry me, and that counts for something. I promise to listen to you and I promise to never allow politics and greed get in the way of your best interests. I have already implemented common sense solutions to increase the success rate of missions among shinobi. I have invested in medical instruction and education, and made basic medical training mandatory in our academies.

"It will take a lot more than this to fix Konoha's problems. There are still many, collective and individual, that need to be addressed. As I take this oath today, I swear to wake up every day and think of how I can make life better for the citizens today. I thank you all for this grand opportunity, and I am humbled that you have chosen me of all eligible candidates to lead you. With that, I am proud to declare myself, in the name of the citizens of Konoha and my predecessors, your Godaime Hokage."

The cheers exploded from adoring citizens, applause from please observers, and grim expressions from the enemies he was making. He searched for Miyu's loving face, not finding her amid the crowd. A gentle hand rested itself on his shoulder and softly trailed the length of his arm. A smooth hand enlaced its fingers in his, that peculiar pressure that could only belong to the woman he loved.

As though on cue, two smaller bodies rammed into him, a young Sasuke wrapping his arms around his Hokage's hips and little Naruto climbing up the Godaime's torso, scrawny legs wrapped securely around his waist, to steal the Hokage cap and place it atop his own golden hair. Itachi joined him on his other side, offering Obito a sheepish smile. The entire family looked onward to the people, as though looking through time to see the good they could do for everyone.

…

An entire year flew by and things finally settled into routine. Obito had been struggling to keep his duties as a parent, husband, and leader separate and organized as they should be. It amazed him how many marriages of those around him appeared to dislike their "responsibility." The Hokage could only be amazed; he was privileged to be a caretaker and hardly thought of his wife as the "old ball-and-chain." Many of the wives expressed discontent at small things, which often made him nervous of Miyu's opinion of him. Today in particular, since one of them spoke glibly of an affair she was having with one of the husbands.

"Miyu, are you happy with me?" he finally asked before breakfast. Sasuke had been sent to buy eggs and had not returned, making Miyu slightly petulant at slight the change of routine. At the question, she perked and gave him one of her "what the hell are you talking about?" faces.

"Obito, of course I'm happy with you. I chose to marry you." She slithered around Naruto, who was setting the table, and Itachi who was making his way to prepare the training regimen for his younger brothers. "Why are you asking, hubby? Something make you nervous at work?"

"Yes," he admitted. "One of the guards was bragging to her friend about sleeping with Taka-"

"Wait, is this Kaori?" Obito nodded, frowning. "I hope she knows her little Hana friend is sleeping with her husband. And yes, I do mean old Yama. Isn't that silly, cheating on each other when they could just have one great big foursome?" Obito made a face, having covered Naruto's ears before Miyu went into that last sentence. She giggled, "Okay. Sweetheart, you have nothing to worry about. I married someone I love and respect unconditionally."

She bent over to kiss her husband on the forehead, nose, and lips-to which Naruto gagged and raced outside yelling, "My guardians are weird!" Obito laughed with his wife. Mornings like this were an absolute treasure.

Sasuke finally made it through the door. As he kicked off his shoes, he offered Miyu the eggs. "Gomen, Miyu-nee. An older woman was having trouble with her bags. I helped her before running the errand. I'm sorry I'm late!"

"You did well, Sasuke-chan," Miyu smiled, ruffling his hair. "Off you go, now! Thank you for being a good boy!" Naruto evidently heard this and grimaced, declaring he was "good-er" than Sasuke. The couple laughed again; of course, nothing was ever perfect... but this was damn close. This family of orphans was complete.

The changes to the adoption system made both adoptions easier and orphans much more comfortable in their environments. Obito also started a program to save children in the Red Light districts of Konoha so that they could find better opportunities outside of drug addiction and prostitution. Children from all walks of life began attending the expanding Academy, good notes for Iruka as among the best instructors. He was also Naruto and Sasuke's teacher.

Naruto was struggling, but his abnormally large chakra reserves aided him. Miyu emphasized control in his technique and requested that Iruka emphasize it as well. Sasuke was doing quite well, though struggled with jutsu. His cool yet innocent demeanor made him quite popular with the girls. In contrast, Naruto's admirers were fewer, but far more sincere (notably the Hyuuga child). Itachi, promising as ever, had already mastered his sharingan.

His siblings were growing into good people. Obito heard many parents do nothing but complain about the journey of parenting and caring for a child, but he could only revel in it. Of course, he had his fair share of annoyances, but overall, the experience for him was rewarding and nothing but a joy. Miyu's decision was fulfilling for both of them.

More than anything, complaints revolved around spouses. Spouses who cheat, lie, steal, and do not love. He wondered how lucky he was to find the one person who loved him as he was, who never cheated, lied, stole, and cared. Many continued their adolescent pursuits of attractive sexual partners, but his only desire seemed to focus on Miyu and her beauty even years into the future. He imagined the lines on her face form and settle into a beautiful memento of time and love.

It was surreal to watch time move backward, remembering the girl he never spoke to, and then watch time come forward as she joined her hand in his. He fell in love with her all over again as she rested her head on his chest, arms wrapping around him as she softly told him she loved him with a love that was more than love. This was not the prison his co-workers regretted, but Obito's life and kingdom.

They watched their siblings play, tackle, fight, and laugh, time slowly moving forward as the sun gilded the world with its light. He held his beloved wife closer still, eyes toward the Hokage Mountain where he, alongside his sensei, watched over the village.

**Author's Notes:**

I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for sticking by me and this story for so long. If you wouldn't mind, now that the story is complete, I humbly request that you please leave a review of what you thought. I wanted to make this story as both a character exploration and exploration of depression.

Depression is a pervasive affliction in today's world and is very serious. It is more than feeling sad; it is feeling hopeless, as though your life is over. Contrary to popular belief, sadness of this profound nature is serious and has physical effects. Emotional pain triggers the same area of the brain as physical pain. For those who are going through this, I hope this story helped you. I want you to know that there is hope.

Please don't give up.


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